The Promise
by Anoveldebut
Summary: Sequel to The Cabin, post Unending. Teal'c and Sam hatch a plan to find true love for Daniel, only things don't go as planned, and SG-1, past and present, must rally together to help one of their own find new meaning in a war-torn galaxy. Sam/Jack established. Friendship, angst, hurt/comfort, romance...something for everyone?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate or any of the affiliate characters. I only do this for fun.

Setting: Set after Unending in Season Ten, but before Ark of Truth (well, except for the epilogue), and before Continuum.

Author's Note: Although this is intended as a sequel to The Cabin, the tone and subject are quite different. This was not entirely intentional, the story had a few ideas of its own. You've been warned.

Comments: Feedback is always, always welcome. I'll never get any better unless I know what people like, and what they don't.

Ratings: Safe for teen and older. Very tame, despite Vala's presence.

Postings: This story is written in full. I will be posting chapters as I finish proofreading. Please be patient with the process.

* * *

Sam made her way through the eerily silent halls of the SGC. It was much later than she had anticipated, but Teal'c had requested her presence in his quarters once her experiment was complete, and she felt she owed it to her long-time friend, regardless how bone-tired she felt, to make an appearance. Besides, he had said it was a matter of great importance, and Teal'c had never been one to exaggerate.

Reaching his door, Sam knocked twice, chewing her lower lip guiltily for having made him wait so long. Teal'c answered immediately, smiling down at her as he ushered her inside.

"Sorry I'm so late," she began, but he shook his head, cutting her off.

"Think nothing of it, Colonel Carter. I am glad you were able to come."

Sam smiled wanly at him, gratefully accepting the seat he offered her. "You said you had something important to discuss?," she offered, her curiosity more than a little piqued by the earlier statement.

"Indeed, Colonel Carter, although I am not altogether certain how I should proceed." A vaguely troubled look crossed his face, and Sam sat up a little straighter.

"Does this have anything to do with our experiences aboard the Odyssey?," she asked, not sure she really wanted to know. Granted, the timeline had been drastically altered, but still...Future knowledge was never something to be trifled with. Not that Teal'c was generally one to trifle...

"Indeed," he replied, inclining his head.

Sam studied him a moment, her mind working a thousand miles a minute. He wanted to tell her something about their altered future. Something of great importance. Yet why now? It had already been five months since their safe return, and he hadn't said a word about any of it in all that time. What had changed?

The troubled look was back, and Sam wrenched her thoughts back to the present, to the man sitting uncomfortably across from her. "Are you sure you want to do this?," she asked carefully, gauging his reaction for hesitation. There was none.

"I must, Colonel Carter. Prior to the destruction of the Odyssey, Daniel Jackson placed his fate in my hands." Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she shifted to the edge of her seat, leaning forward ever so slightly as if afraid to miss her friend's next words. "Daniel Jackson did not believe, given a second chance, that he would remain true to his wife. He insisted that Vala was indeed his ideal mate, however, he believed he may never come to perceive her thus without the extenuating circumstances of our time aboard the Odyssey."

"Wait. Daniel and _Vala_? _Married_?," Sam squeaked. Teal'c smiled, inclining his head.

"Indeed." Sam gaped at him.

"Did we all pair off? I mean, did I...," she trailed, heart thudding. Oh god. Fifty years alone on that ship, without Jack. Would she? She shook her head, mentally trying to dislodge the notion. No. Surely not...

Teal'c was still smiling at her, patiently waiting for her wandering attention to focus back on him. Snapping back to herself, she met his gaze in wide-eyed anticipation as he finally replied, "No."

Sam breathed a heavy sigh of relief, grateful he would not be telling her that she had turned to one of the others as a cure for loneliness.

"I believe you would have remained true to O'Neill until your final days, Colonel Carter," he reassured gently.

Sam took a steadying breath before asking, "So Daniel and Vala...?"

"Vala Mal Doran was most persistent in our first few weeks aboard the Odyssey. Daniel Jackson, however, was disinclined to take her invitations seriously."

"So what happened?," Sam asked, burning curiosity beginning to take the place of her exhaustion.

"I believe there was a disagreement in which many regrettable things were said. It was then that Daniel Jackson came to realize the sincerity of Vala's regard for him, and a relationship was established."

"How long?," Sam asked, feeling a little breathless.

"Within three months of the initialization of the time dilation field."

"Fifty _years_?!," exclaimed Sam.

"Indeed. Their love proved as true as that which you share with O'Neill."

"They still fight like cats and dogs here," Sam observed.

"Indeed. It is precisely as Daniel Jackson feared."

"Teal'c, we can't just tell them..."

"Of this I am aware, Colonel Carter. That is why I have come to you."

Sam sat back in the chair, contemplating everything he had just told her. Rubbing her hands tiredly across her face she asked, "Are you sure we have any right to interfere? I mean, they figured it out on their own last time..."

"Colonel Carter," Teal'c replied, his tone suddenly stern. "I am responsible for removing all hope of a future with Shar'e from Daniel Jackson's life. For that, he forgave me. However, I will not be responsible for the same grief a second time." Sam sat up a little straighter, a frown creasing her brow.

"Whether they are aware of it or not," Teal'c continued, "Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran have been happily married for fifty years. Do you not think they deserve the opportunity to recall this life together?"

Sam exhaled deeply. If it had been her and Jack... Well, she'd want that time back, no matter the consequences. "All right, I'll help," she answered at last, nodding for emphasis.

"That is good," Teal'c replied, visibly relaxing. "I believe some time at the cabin would be in order."

Sam grinned at the thought. "I'll call Jack tonight to let him know."

Teal'c cocked an eyebrow, glancing meaningfully at the clock on his nightstand. Sam followed his gaze. 3am. She sighed. "All right, I'll call himin the morning," she amended.

"Sleep well, Colonel Carter," Teal'c replied, seeing her to the door.

"You too, Teal'c," she yawned, deciding it would probably be best to crash on-base for the night.

* * *

Shutting the door softly behind his guest, Teal'c laid a gentle hand against the smooth grey surface, closing his eyes. He had known his return to this time would have its challenges. Yet he had hoped that facing _her_ would never be one of them...

_Sam emerged from the General's sickroom, tears streaming down her face. He was there, waiting for her, ready for the inevitable onslaught of emotion. In all the time they had spent together, her grief had never fully abated. And in the General's last moments, he was all too aware of who she would see. Forty-odd years had passed for them onboard the Odyssey. It did not matter that less than a heartbeat had passed for the rest of the galaxy. In her mind, the husband she had so desperately longed for must be dead as well, and true to his fears, his ever grieving friend was folded into his arms, inconsolable against the injustice of it all._

_Looking back, he found that it was hardly any different from their earliest weeks onboard the Odyssey. He would frequently find her alone, the shell of the warrior he once knew, weeping in frustration. In fear. In regret. In grief. This day would have been no different had he not anticipated her need. He knew her too well, after all these years. _

_"He's gone," she shuddered, sobbing into his chest. "This is all my fault."_

_"There is still time for a solution," he pressed gently, holding her close. She shook her head against his chest._

_"It doesn't matter how much time I have. I'll never get us out of this."_

_"You will, Samantha Carter. Your work has been progressing these last several years."_

_"It's not enough. We'll never see him again."_

_Teal'c placed a reassuring hand against her hair, resting his head upon her own. She shook against him, her carefully built walls all crashing down around them. "Samantha Carter," he whispered, pulling her momentarily back to him. "General O'Neill has barely had time to draw breath since we initiated the time dilation field. There is still time. Do not give up."_

_He had hoped to comfort her, but instead, her crying intensified. "It's too late," she sobbed. "I gave up long ago."_

_"That is untrue," he stated rationally. "You have continued your work unfailingly."_

_"Only because I'm too afraid to live what life I have left," she wept. Teal'c cupped her face, gently brushing aside her tears. Her hand came up to meet his, not pushing him away as he would have expected, but accepting the gesture as it was._

_"You do not give yourself enough credit," he said plainly, carefully meeting her teary eyes. _

_"I should have moved on a long time ago," she confessed, her lower lip quivering beneath his thumb._

_"There is no shame in remaining true to your spouse," he murmured. "I have never thought less of you for the path you have chosen."_

_"Would you think less of me if I chose differently now?," she hiccoughed. He inhaled deeply, contemplating his response._

_"I would not," he answered at last, letting her head fall back to his chest._

_"You're seriously telling me that nothing happened?," Daniel demanded, staring incredulously at his friend._

_"It would be a breach of trust to take advantage of her grief," he replied solemnly._

_"But three weeks?! How could nothing have happened in three weeks? She was in your quarters every night!"_

_"She required comfort. Nothing more."_

_"I don't know which one of you is worse!," Daniel exclaimed, clearly exasperated. "I mean, Sam's outdone even Penelope at this point, and she waited twenty years for Odysseus to return from the Trojan war! And you, you've never once pressed your suit! Why not? She's the only other woman onboard this ship, and God knows she's never shown any interest in Cam. Why not try for a little more than mere comfort? Why not go for some actual happiness?" His frustration spent, the archaeologist starred defiantly at his friend, daring him to contradict his observations. _

_"Daniel Jackson. O'Neill was as a brother to me, and she is his wife. While he still lives, I will never impose myself between them."_

_"Even if it means both of you living out the rest of your lives alone?"_

_"As long as I draw breath, she will never be alone. That much I swear to you."_

_"You love her." It came as a statement, not an accusation._

_"I care deeply for her."_

_"Tell her."_

_"Never."_

_"You're insane."_

_"Perhaps."_


	2. Chapter 2

The phone was ringing. General Jack O'Neill buried his head deep beneath his pillow, desperately trying to block the sound. It didn't work. A few shrill peels later and he was no longer certain if it was in fact his phone making all the noise, or if his ears had taken up a persistent ring.

Why wasn't his voice mail picking up? Groping blindly for the offensive object, Jack thrust the phone to the ear still buried beneath his pillow, grumbling loudly in greeting.

"Is this a bad time?," a familiar voice asked, sounding wonderfully concerned.

"Sam?," Jack mumbled sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Breakfast time. Rough night?" Jack groaned in response. "I'll take that as a yes. Would you like me to call back later?"

"No, I'm up now," he grudgingly replied, his stubborn eyes refusing to follow the implied order to open.

"Are you sure?," Sam asked after a beat of silence, knowing him well enough to know when he was lying.

" 'Course. What's up?"

"Teal'c wants our help," she replied cryptically.

"Give him anything he wants for getting you out of that damned time dilation field," he replied gruffly.

"I thought you'd say that," she said, the smile evident in her voice. Then, "I don't know how to tell you this, but apparently we fell madly in love while trapped onboard the Odyssey, and he wants me back. But you're okay with that, right?," she asked sweetly.

Jack glared at the phone. "Not funny, _Samantha_," he growled moodily. It wasn't entirely beyond the realm of possibility, after all, and a man really did_ not_ need to be woken up with that kind of worry.

"Do you want to hear the plan, or should I just drag you along for the ride?," she amended, clearly enjoying herself.

"That depends. Is it something I would normally agree to, or is it a Sam Carter special?"

"Neither," she replied glibly.

"In that case, I'm not sure I really want to know more."

"That's fine. Teal'c, Daniel and Vala will be joining us up at the cabin next month. Just so you know."

Jack's head shot up, dislodging the pillow. "Say again?"

"We're all going up to the cabin next month for our leave."

Jack narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And what exactly does this have to do with helping Teal'c?," he asked.

"I thought you didn't really want to know?"

"If it involves our cabin, I sure as hell want to know!," he retorted.

"Apparently Teal'c and I have now both made a promise to Daniel to find him a new wife. And Teal'c would like to act on his choice as soon as possible."

"Sam, tell me you're not seriously thinking what I think you're thinking? Because I don't think Daniel would like where this is going..."

"Jack, Teal'c told me some of what happened onboard the Odyssey. He made a pretty persuasive argument."

"Sam. Are you talking about setting ole' Danny-boy up with that crazy space chick? Because I really, really don't think that's such a good idea. She annoys him even more than I do. That's not a very promising start to a relationship, if you ask me."

"You and Daniel have been good friends for over ten years," she pointed out. "And according to Teal'c, Daniel and Vala were married for fifty. _Fifty_, Jack. And Teal'c promised Daniel that he wouldn't let him miss out on that life, just because the timeline changed. It's really very romantic, if you think about it."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but apart from you, wasn't Vala the only woman onboard that ship?"

"Well, yes..."

"Then maybe it was more an arrangement of convenience, rather than romance..."

"I don't think so, Jack. Teal'c said they had what we have. He's determined to do this."

"What's in it for him?"

"A debt repaid. He still blames himself for Shar'e. He needs to do this."

Jack groaned. "This is gonna be like that Jaffa revenge thing all over again, isn't it?"

"Probably. But I think we can minimize the damage if we cooperate," Sam replied. "Besides, I don't entirely disagree."

"You don't?"

"No. I mean, they don't seem to have much in common right now, but there's already genuine concern and affection between them. We just need to open them to the possibility of something more."

"And they can't do this themselves because..."

"Because Daniel didn't think he would. He asked Teal'c to do this for him, before everything was reset. He _wanted_ this, Jack. He just doesn't know it yet."

"Sam..."

"_Jack_. I promised Daniel two years ago that I'd help him find someone new. Teal'c's found the solution. We owe this to him, as our friend."

"_Sam._ He's a big boy. He can do this himself."

There was a beat of silence.

"We couldn't," she whispered at last.

Jack closed his eyes, knowing defeat when he saw it. "You don't know that for sure," he tried.

"No, I don't. But I do know we would have missed out on the last two years together if it hadn't been for Teal'c and Daniel, and that would have been a shame."

Jack sighed. "You know this could backfire and just push them even further apart, right?"

"I know. But we have to try. Please?"

As if she'd ever really ask for his permission; Jack knew a gracious out when he saw one. "All right," he grumbled. "But don't expect me to play matchmaker with you. You're on your own for this one."

"That's fine," she sang. "And Jack?"

"Yeah?," he answered cautiously.

"I love you." Jack's mood melted as a slow smile spread across his face.

"Love you too," he replied, deciding that maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.


	3. Chapter 3

"You know, Colonel Mitchell didn't make this cabin of yours sound like very much fun," Vala whined.

"Of course he didn't!," Sam shot, exasperated. "He was stuck out there alone with General Landry. It was probably awful for both of them. But this will be different!"

"I really don't see how," Vala grumbled. "It's still just a cabin in the woods. Lots of flies, no servants. I just don't see the appeal." Sam glared at her, hands on her hips.

"Daniel will be there," she tried, changing tactics.

"He's not actually as much fun as I'd hoped," she stated dismally. "He showed such promise onboard the Prometheus, too," she added, apparently for effect. Sam gazed skyward, counting silently to ten.

"Vala, it's a vacation. A chance to get off base. We can even ditch the guys one day and sneak into town to shop. It'll be fun, I promise."

Vala flopped down on her bed, sighing. "You know, I had planned to indulge in one of your Tau'ri spas. What do you do for fun at this cabin, anyway?"

Sam paused a moment, biting her lower lip uncertainly. "Well, I read," she said at last, sounding lame even to herself. Vala scowled. "Romance novels," she added. Vala sat up.

"Samantha, have you been holding out on me?" Sam blinked in surprise.

"Excuse me?," she asked.

"Romance novels. You mean to tell me there's more to read on this dismal planet of yours than all those dusty old tomes of Daniel's?"

"You mean to tell me you've actually been reading Daniel's books?," Sam asked incredulously, an odd combination of guilt and mirth fighting their way to the surface. Vala flopped back down in response, groaning.

"You must all hate me!," she complained bitterly. "What else have you left out of my introduction to Earth?"

"Camping!," Sam replied brightly. "Come give it a chance, Vala. You might really like it!" Vala studied her suspiciously, clearly not convinced.

"And if I don't?"

"Then I promise I'll never coerce you to come again," Sam vowed.

"Fine," Vala grumbled. "But there'd better be lots of these romance novels you've mentioned. And they'd better be dirty!"

* * *

"So, you've been suckered into a camping trip, eh Jackson?," Cam asked, coming into his office. Daniel looked up from the text he was studying, squinting at the intruder while trying to regain focus.

"Uh, yeah," he mumbled distractedly.

"You know, you could always come to Kansas with me. I'm sure I could find you a nice girl to hook up with..."

Daniel narrowed his eyes, contemplating the man before him. The offer was bizarre, even for them. "What do you want, Mitchell?," he asked, leaning into his table.

Cam's eyebrows shot up, mock innocence written all over his face. "Me? Nothing," Cam replied, raising his hands in surrender. Daniel stared at him, clearly not buying it. "Look, man, really. I just came to see if I could make you a better offer. A whole week at that cabin would be torture. Trust me." Daniel rolled his eyes.

"I've been there before, Mitchell. It's really not that bad."

"Coulda fooled me," he muttered. Then, "When was the last time you spent any time away from work? A week trapped alone with a group of your colleagues doesn't sound like much of a vacation to me."

"And going to Kansas with you would be different_ how_, exactly?"

"Well, for starters, we wouldn't be alone. We'd have _dates_," Cam explained. Daniel rolled his eyes again.

"No offence, Mitchell, but I'm really not interested."

"So you're going to live out the rest of your life alone, completely ignorant of anything not somehow or other related to the Stargate program?," he pressed archly.

Daniel scowled. "Maybe I'll meet a nice alien girl someday and stay with her," he replied sarcastically.

"Uh-huh," Cam answered doubtfully. "Well, let me know if you change your mind," he said with a shrug, already on his way out the door.

Daniel glared at the spot where he'd stood a moment before. Thank goodness he had plenty of work to do. He'd need a few solid hours buried in the nuances of a long-dead language to chase the unsettled feelings from his mind.

* * *

A/N: Um, in case I've forgotten to mention...any passages in Italics will be Teal'c's memories from the Odyssey.


	4. Chapter 4

They all headed to Sam's house the night before their trip, a shiny black SUV rental already squashed awkwardly beside her much smaller car in the driveway, a trailer hitched to the back for her bike. They'd be leaving three hours before dawn the next morning, and wanted everything as ready as possible before then.

The preparations all made, they gathered around her small coffee table, take-out in hand, for what had become known as the 'famous' pre-trip movie night. In keeping with their original tradition, Sam and Daniel always had a quiet evening together before one of their trips to see Jack, although the movies themselves were often more varied than the first night they had done this. Tonight, it was action for the boys, featuring _Demolition Man, Die Hard, _and _Total Recall_. Teal'c and Vala seemed content enough to watch the films. Daniel, however, seemed a little off. Frowning, Sam leaned over to whisper quietly, "Everything okay?". Daniel didn't respond, although she could tell something was definitely bothering him.

A moment later, Sam stood, motioning for him to follow.

"Anyone need anything while we're up?," she asked. Vala absently held up her empty popcorn bowl while Teal'c responded with, "I am fine. Thank you."

Nodding, Sam headed out to the kitchen, Daniel grudgingly trailing behind. Tossing another bag of popcorn into the microwave, she turned to her friend. "What's on your mind?," she asked, watching him shift uncomfortably, his hands buried deep in his pockets. He gazed at his feet, obviously trying to decide if he would say anything or not. Finally he muttered, "Mitchell invited me on a double-date."

"Really?," Sam asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Daniel said, nodding pensively. Then, "Am I too much of a recluse?" Sam raised an eyebrow, blindsided by the question.

"I wouldn't say a _recluse_, per se," she began. Daniel leveled her with a scowl.

"Hey, you asked," she said, raising her hands defensively. "And you have been a little...closed...since your last brush with ascension."

"What's that supposed to mean?," he demanded, clearly frustrated.

Sam glanced away a moment, choosing her words carefully. "You're becoming more like Jack," she said at last, hoping he wouldn't take it too harshly.

"As in..."

"Emotionally distant. Quick to anger. Sarcastic."

"Bitter?," he asked.

"Maybe a little. Sometimes," Sam confessed. Daniel closed his eyes, his jaw twitching in suppressed irritation.

"Has it ever occurred to anyone that maybe I've just lost too much?," he asked, anger and hurt lacing his voice. Sam flinched.

"You're not the only one," she offered quietly. "We've all made sacrifices, Daniel."

"She died because of me," he said at last, his voice cold. "And then, to add insult to injury, I led Anubis to Abydos. The planet was destroyed because of me. Kasuf, Skaara...he was engaged, you know. They all died, because of me. None of the rest of you have that kind of guilt."

"Really? Look at Vala. Her daughter has slaughtered whole worlds promoting a false religion. You don't think she feels the least bit guilty about that?"

"It's not her fault," Daniel defended. "The Ori did this to her. The blame is theirs. Or mine. I'm the one who showed them the way into this galaxy, after all. Nobody can absolve my crimes, Sam. They're not even on the same plane as the others."

"The Ori would have found us eventually. You can't blame yourself for that. And you did try to save Shar'e, and Abydos. They weren't your fault, and none of those people blamed you, Daniel. They accepted their fate."

"They shouldn't have had to."

"And that's why we do the job we do. So nobody will have to, ever again. That doesn't mean you have to stop living."

"I haven't stopped living, Sam."

"You've stopped letting people in."

"I've never shut you out."

Sam smiled wryly at that. "You haven't exactly let anyone new in, though."

"Haven't had much opportunity to meet anyone new, now have I?," he said bitterly.

"What about Cam's offer?," she reminded. "Or the woman over in the next room who's been throwing herself at you for over a year now?"

"Oh, _please_!," he shouted, startling them both. "You can't seriously think I'd ever consider _Vala_?," he added, this time a little more quietly, if no less forcefully.

"Why not? She seems to like you well enough. And she's already part of the family."

"I'm an easy mark for her. Once she finds someone else to wind up, she'll move on."

"Fine," Sam said, changing tactics. "But maybe all Cam was trying to get at earlier was that you need more of a life outside of the SGC. You can't live for work alone. I've tried it. You deserve better."

Daniel sighed heavily. Sam ached for him. He was one of her best friends. How could she have let him grow so distant?

"All right," he said at last, barely more than a whisper.

"All right?," she asked in return.

"I'll try to stay open to the possibility of someday finding someone new. But don't go expecting any crazy professions of love this week out at the cabin."

Sam grinned. "I can accept that. And Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"If you ever need to talk..."

"I know where to find you."

* * *

Vala was no longer paying attention to the movie. Following her gaze, Teal'c found her staring at the door through which their friends had just left, straining to concentrate... Closing his eyes, he listened carefully, hearing part of a conversation most definitely not meant for them.

_"What about Cam's offer?," _Sam said._ "Or the woman over in the next room who's been throwing herself at you for over a year now?"_

_"Oh, please!," _Daniel replied_, _more loudly than before_. "You can't seriously think I'd ever consider Vala?," _he added_, _this time a little more quietly, if no less forcefully.

Vala's bottom lip trembled, but she stoically schooled her features into a mask of indifference. Forcing herself to turn back to the film, she noticed Teal'c watching, and shot him a wavering smile. "Don't worry about me, Muscles," she said with a sniff. "I've had worse said to my face. Besides, I can do better than a dull and cynical archaeologist, can't I?" Her emotions were barely contained. Teal'c frowned.

"Perhaps Daniel Jackson would not be so dull or cynical, as you have said, if he found someone to fill the hours generally reserved for his books," he replied at last. Vala snorted.

"You know, I'll bet that's all he did, the whole time we were onboard the Odyssey!," she declared. "Samantha and I would certainly be no match for the Asgard database." Teal'c suppressed a smile in response. The woman before him may have been unpredictable at times, but she was uncannily observant when she chose to be.

"And what do you suppose you were doing, while Daniel Jackson read?"

Vala flopped back on the couch. "I likely died of boredom three months in. You're all much too serious for me." This time, Teal'c did smile.

"Then you may be surprised to learn that you were still very much alive fifty years later, when Colonel Carter was able to devise the means for our escape."

"I tell you, Muscles, that's not possible. There's no way I could have lived with that much dull tedium. You must have been seeing things."

"Vala Mal Doran, I assure you, that is not the case."

She turned to study him, obviously hoping to weasel some juicy tidbit or other from his features. He gave nothing away.

"Are you saying I actually managed to find something worth living for onboard that starship?," she asked, clearly incredulous.

"Indeed."

She flopped back down. "Then maybe there's some hope for this little trip yet." Teal'c smiled again, privately pleased by her optimism. If only Daniel Jackson could be brought to the same state...

* * *

_"Teal'c, before we go through with this..."_

_Teal'c turned to face his guest, curiously observing the man before him. It was not like Daniel Jackson to end a statement midway, as if torn to see it through to completion. "How may I be of assistance, Daniel Jackson?," he questioned gently, hoping to nudge his friend into completing his thought._

_"I don't know if I have any right to ask you this," he began again, "but I want you to do something for me." Daniel Jackson paused, meeting his gaze, his eyes as ardent and sincere as ever they had been._

_"What is it, Daniel Jackson?," he asked._

_"It's about Vala," he replied at last, both hesitant and certain all at once. Teal'c's eyebrow shot up in mild surprise, but he remained silent as his friend continued. "I know myself, Teal'c. I know I won't see her for who she really is until it's too late. I don't want to make that mistake. Not with her. These last fifty years... They've had meaning, Teal'c. Maybe not cosmic, saving the universe kind of meaning, but meaning nonetheless. I don't want to lose that. I don't want to hurt her. You have to help me find a way..."_

_"I do not believe this to be too much to ask, my friend," he replied warmly, inclining his head._

_"Sam may disagree," Daniel confessed. "You know how she is about tampering with the timeline..."_

_"It is not tampering if it is meant to be."_

_"Still," said Daniel, a wry smile on his face, "she may not approve." Teal'c raised an eyebrow. _

_"I do not require her approval to see this through," he replied._

_"You two are close. I just don't want to put you in the uncomfortable position of choosing between one friend and another."_

_"It will not come to that, Daniel Jackson. I will do what I can to ensure your happiness."_

_"Thank you, Teal'c. That really means a lot."_


	5. Chapter 5

Sam kept Vala occupied for most of the drive to the cabin, regaling her with tales from SG-1's earliest days, and playing what could only be considered childish road-trip games the rest of the time. Daniel gratefully took the front with Teal'c, swapping seats every few hours as a fresh pair of eyes became needed on the road.

It wasn't until their supper break that Daniel realized the bike they were towing wasn't just coming along for camp use.

"Are you insane?," he asked his friend, watching her unload the motorcycle from the trailer. "It's getting dark!"

Sam grinned in reply. "That's what headlights are for, Daniel. Besides, I promised Teal'c."

"Wait. What?"

"Just after we got back from the Odyssey. He said I used to tell him stories about my _wild_ days of biking. He always hoped to try it himself, someday. This seemed like as good a time as any."

"You're taking Teal'c too?,"

"Yes, Daniel."

"But that leaves me alone with Vala."

"She's pretty tired. She'll probably sleep the rest of the way."

"And if she doesn't?"

Sam sighed. "It's three hours, Daniel. Teal'c says you survived fifty years together onboard the Odyssey. I think you'll manage."

"Yeah, but she probably gave up on me and turned to Cam," he spluttered. "And he's not here!"

"You'll be fine. We'll be right in front of you the whole time."

"Can't you take Vala instead?"

Sam rolled her eyes. "No. Teal'c asked first."

"I've known you longer!," he tried.

Sam raised her eyebrow. "While technically that _used_ to be true, it really doesn't apply anymore. He's got fifty years on you, now." Daniel scowled.

"Ready?," she called to Teal'c.

"Indeed," he replied, beaming.

Daniel stalked back to the driver's side of the SUV. It was going to be a lo-ong three hours.

* * *

"Hold on tight," Sam reminded, feeling Teal'c's arms wrap securely around her waist. She pulled down her visor, hearing him do the same. Grinning, she revved the engine, lifting the kickstand as she did. Checking to make sure Daniel was following, she pulled onto the highway, relishing the feel of the wind rushing against her. If she couldn't fly, she could at least do this. Speeding up, she could hear Teal'c laughing behind her, a bone-deep sound of joyous satisfaction as they tore along the highway toward home.

* * *

"You know, I think there's a lot he's not telling us," Vala mused from the seat next to his own.

"I'm sure there is," he said impassively. "But there's really no need for us to know any of it, is there?"

"Isn't there? I mean, maybe we could learn something about ourselves that would better our situation in the here and now," she retorted.

"How do you figure?," he asked.

"He said I didn't die of boredom," she replied, obviously not quite believing it herself. "Implying that I somehow found something meaningful to occupy my time. Onboard a motionless starship, deep in space," she added for emphasis.

Daniel arched an eyebrow, darting a quick glance her way. She was serious. "You actually thought you'd die of boredom?," he asked, rather pointedly.

"Well, if you don't want me, and Mitchell wouldn't want me...I really don't think I'm Teal'c's type, and General Landry is most certainly not my type... There wouldn't really be anything to _do_, now would there?"

"Any_thing_, or any_one_?," he shot sarcastically. "Do you ever think of anything _other_ than sex?"

"Do _you_?," she retorted. Daniel glared at the road.

"I guess you could have turned to Sam in a moment of desperation," he replied vindictively.

"That's not very nice, Daniel," she scolded. "Samantha deserves much more than a moment of desperation."

Daniel turned to her, startled. "Yes, she does," he agreed seriously, turning back to the road. They lapsed into silence for a few minutes, the tires on the road the only sound in the car.

"I figure you must have buried yourself alive in the Asgard database," Vala offered a while later.

"It would definitely be tempting," Daniel conceded.

"And why _is_ that?," she asked.

"All the knowledge of the Asgard? A race several millennia older than our own... How could you _not_ be tempted?," he asked in return.

"They never found the answers," she replied with a shrug. "What would be the point?"

Daniel gaped at her. "All right," he retorted. "So I apparently wasted my life studying an advanced alien race that came to nothing, in the end. What about you? Without sex, what would you have done?," he asked irritably.

"Helped Samantha," she replied.

"Seems a little out of your league," he noted. Vala rolled her eyes.

"I do still possess all the knowledge of the Goa'uld," she retorted. "Besides, with fifty years at my disposal, I'm sure I could have learned a thing or two about Tauri-Asgard hybrid technology."

"I'm sure Sam would have appreciated the help," he admitted at last. "It must have been a terrible burden for her, trying for so many years to find a way to save us all."

"Cameron went insane," Vala decided a moment later.

"How do you figure?," Daniel replied, with a resigned sigh.

"He couldn't even handle a few days at this cabin of yours with General Landry. I don't think he would have held up very well with the rest of us on the Odyssey." Daniel's lips twitched upwards in spite of himself.

"You may have a point," he admitted. "What about Teal'c and Landry?"

"Landry is a bit eccentric. I'm sure he would have found a way to amuse himself. But Teal'c...Teal'c is still a mystery."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. I think he's actually harder to read now than he was before. And he wasn't easy then, either."

"He's more expressive than he's ever been in the past. You'd think the opposite would be true."

"It isn't, though. Something happened up there to change him, and I don't think we're ever going to know what, no matter how long we try to figure it out."

"Have you ever tried just asking him?," Daniel asked.

"Of course I have!," Vala exclaimed indignantly. "He wouldn't tell me." She crossed her arms with a pout.

"Go figure. I guess there are some things you're just not meant to know."

"I'll bet it was juicy."

"How juicy could it be?," Daniel asked incredulously. "It was SG-1 and General Landry. Not exactly your hot-topic group of people."

"Maybe he killed you and Mitchell in a duel of honour for Samantha's hand," Vala dreamed. Daniel shot her a glowering look.

"I thought I was too busy with my reading to go looking for human contact?," Daniel noted acidly. "And wasn't Mitchell insane? Wouldn't have been much of a fight."

"You're right. There was nothing in his way and he and Samantha fell madly in love and made lots of babies."

"I'm sure that's not right," Daniel replied mildly.

"And just why not?," demanded Vala.

"Well, for starters, if there had been lots of babies onboard that ship, there wouldn't have been any reason for any of the rest of us to stay old, would there? One or all of the grown children could have reset the timeline, saving themselves and us along with them."

"Oh," Vala blinked, defeated. "I guess you're right." She slumped in her seat. "It must have been dreadful, all those years without any babies," she muttered.

"What?," Daniel asked, startled.

"Fifty years without any meaningful relationship and without any children. It's not much of a life, is it?" Daniel stared at her, momentarily distracted from the road. Vala reached out to grab the wheel, correcting their course. "Shouldn't you be paying more attention?," she asked innocently.

Daniel glared out the windshield, grinding his teeth in response.

* * *

"Why have we stopped, Colonel Carter?," Teal'c asked, dismounting beside her.

"We lost Daniel and Vala a while back. I figured we'd wait here a bit until they catch up."

Teal'c took in the view. They had pulled into one of those small lots to the side of the highway, meant specifically for sightseeing. The view was breathtaking, a sweeping expanse of rocky forest spread out below, beneath the light of a rising moon. "Beautiful, isn't it?," Sam breathed, joining him at the rail.

"Indeed," he replied simply, taking it all in.

* * *

_"I've been thinking of asking Sam out," his opponent confessed, darting beneath his countering blow._

_"Asking her out where?," Teal'c asked, confused. Cam paused in his attack, studying the man before him._

_"On a date," he replied by way of explanation. "You know. Dinner. Romance. Something more than this endless training for a war we may never rejoin."_

_"You intend to pursue a relationship," he clarified._

_"Yeah. Why not? I mean, Jackson and Vala have already declared themselves..."_

_"I believe it would be unwise to pursue Colonel Carter," Teal'c advised._

_"Why?," Cam asked, resuming his stance for their duel. _

_"It would complicate matters once we are free from the time dilation field," Teal'c observed, preparing for Cam's attack._

_"That may be true," Cam shrugged, readying his weapon "But we've already been out here two years, and she's no closer to finding an answer. It may be time to face the fact that this is all any of us will ever have."_

_"If that is your only reason for desiring her companionship, I do not believe it is enough." Cam swung as Teal'c spoke, Teal'c easily deflecting the blow._

_"Hey, man, if you can offer her better, I'll gladly step aside. But our options are limited, and I'm willing to take the risk." Teal'c knocked the weapon aside, pulling back to catch Mitchell in the knees. The other man fell to the mats, tumbling to grab his staff and resume the match._

_"I believe she still mourns that which we left behind," he cautioned vaguely, knowing her secret must still be guarded at all costs._

_"I think we all do," ventured Cam. "But at some point, we'll all need to move on."_

_The two men circled one another, preparing for the next round. Teal'c struck first, Cam falling back a step before regaining his balance and countering the attack._

_"I believe she still requires more time," Teal'c stated._

_"Yeah, well, maybe we should leave the decision up to Sam," Cam replied, maneuvering a well-executed strike of his own. The blow fell to Teal'c's shoulder, forcing him to trade arms for the counterattack. Cam was knocked to the floor, the staff catching him square in the jaw._

_"I believe we have had enough for today," Teal'c stated, helping Mitchell back to his feet. _

_"Yeah," Mitchell agreed numbly, touching his bleeding cheek. "I think we have."_

_"You've been spending a lot of time with Sam lately," Daniel noted casually, a smug grin poorly hidden by his work._

_"Mitchell believes she may be in need of companionship," Teal'c replied evenly. Daniel looked up from the passage of Asgard text, clearly surprised._

_"Really?," he asked._

_"Indeed," Teal'c replied, rather distastefully. "He suggested the pursuit of a romantic relationship. I offered friendship instead."_

_Daniel blinked at him, silently trying to process what had actually just been said. At last he said, "Oh," and turned back to the passage. A moment later his head shot up again, and he asked, "Does Sam know?"_

_"She does not," Teal'c replied._

_"Do you think we should tell her?," Daniel asked._

_"I do not."_

_Daniel contemplated the statement. "Do you need any help? With the companionship thing?," he asked at last._

_"I believe she finds my presence unobtrusive," Teal'c noted. "I will continue on my own." Daniel nodded._

_"What about Cam?," he asked a moment later. Teal'c smiled patiently in return._

_"I will continue to offer him friendship as well."_

* * *

Sam shivered in the cool night air, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm. "I wonder what's keeping them?," she mused. Teal'c's lips quirked upwards in a partial grin.

"Perhaps they have decided on more intimate pursuits," he replied evenly. Sam nearly choked where she stood.

Before she could respond, an SUV slowed on the highway, turning into the small space where they stood. "Giving up on your bike?," Daniel called through the driver's side window.

"Not a chance!," Sam retorted, smiling wide. "Nice of you to finally catch up, though!"

"Yeah, well, we would have been here sooner but..."

"I had to pee!," Vala yelled across Daniel's lap. Daniel grimaced into the night, and Sam had to stifle a giggle. They really were quite the pair.

"Try to keep up this time!," she catcalled, remounting her bike. Teal'c settled silently behind her, and she revved the engine, laughing as Daniel rolled his eyes. Turning back onto the road, they soared into the night, the frigid air tasting of nothing so much as freedom.

* * *

"I don't think I've ever seen Samantha have so much fun," Vala commented, watching their friends speed away.

"Yes, well, the cabin has special appeal to her," Daniel replied cryptically. Vala frowned.

"I don't recall her mentioning anything that sounded like very much fun," she grumbled suspiciously in reply. Daniel grinned into the dark.

"She wouldn't have mentioned this," he offered as bait.

"And what, exactly, would _this_ be?," Vala huffed.

"You'll see," Daniel replied smugly.

* * *

_They sat side by side on Sam's bed, watching the opening credits for Star Wars roll by. Sam held a large bowl of popcorn on her lap, munching absently as she scooted closer. Teal'c gently placed an arm around her shoulder as she shivered into his side, offering her the blanket that lay at their feet. Accepting gratefully, she bundled herself up, leaning into him for additional warmth. _

_"Are you ill, Colonel Carter?," he asked at last, eyeing her in concern._

_"No, I'm fine Teal'c," came her muffled reply. " Just cold tonight."_

_She shifted closer, offering the popcorn. Teal'c accepted, his arm absently circling her shoulders once again as he began to lose himself in the familiar opening scenes of his favourite film._

_Part way through C3PO's introduction, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Sam called._

_"Hey, Sam, I just came to see if...you have company," Cam finished, noticing Teal'c._

_"Yeah, we're watching Star Wars. Care to join us?," she invited, offering him a seat. Mitchell looked from Sam to Teal'c and back again before saying, "Nah. Maybe another time."_

_"Have a good night, Cam," Sam replied. _

_"Yeah. You too," he said, turning away._

_"You could have told me you were interested in Sam," Cam grumbled, getting into position for their latest sparing match._

_"There is nothing romantic between Colonel Carter and myself," Teal'c replied._

_"Coulda fooled me," Cam muttered. "Just be careful, will you? I don't want to see her get hurt. And consequently myself, when I try to go after you."_

_Teal'c inclined his head in silent acknowledgement as he joined his opponent on the mats._

* * *

The SUV pulled into the driveway mere moments after the motorcycle made it's grand entrance. General Jack O'Neill was already on the porch waiting for them, having heard their approach from several miles away. Vala was busy taking inventory of what she could in the dark, deciding the trip may in fact be even worse than she had suspected, when Sam suddenly caught her attention.

Vala was well aware that her friends all had a history with the man waiting to greet them, but never,_ never_ had she expected to see Samantha dismount her motorcycle with quite that sort of deliberation, a look of pure, unadulterated satisfaction spread across her face as she sauntered over to the obviously riveted older man, before launching, yes, _launching_, herself into his waiting arms. Wrapping her legs tightly around his waist, she murmured something indistinguishable into the night before planting one of the most searingly passionate kisses Vala had ever seen on the man's lips.

Stunned, she turned just in time to see Daniel blush and glance quickly away. "Exactly what sort of gathering did you say this would be again?," she demanded.

* * *

_"I think we're all set," Sam said, joining him at the window. "Are you ready?," she asked, placing a gentle hand on his arm._

_"I am," Teal'c replied. Sam nodded beside him, lost in thought._

_"You know, Teal'c, I think I may have lied when I told everyone we'd only be dead for an instant."_

_Teal'c glanced at her, surprised. Samantha Carter rarely mismanaged the facts of a situation._

_"I think this is in fact it, for all of us," she continued, not meeting his gaze._

_"I do not understand," he replied at last. This time she met his eyes._

_"We've lived fifty years onboard this ship. Once we reset the time dilation field, the people we've become will cease to exist. We're not coming back from this one, Teal'c."_

_It was now his turn to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You will each have the opportunity to live the lives you deserve," he reminded gently._

_"But it won't really be us. Not anymore," she countered, shaking her head. She laughed mirthlessly. "If I had known fifty years ago that it would come to this, things would have been very different," she said._

_"In what way?," he asked softly, watching a lifetime of emotion flit across her face._

_"I've spent my whole life trying to get back to the man I love," she replied with a wry smile. "But here I am, about to die without ever having seen him again." Teal'c remained silent, intent on her words. "If I had known..." She shook her head sadly, looking down at their feet._

_"If you had known," he asked, raising her chin with a finger, "Would you still have sought the solution?"_

_She blinked, momentarily confused, her gaze lost in memory. "Probably, yes," she answered at last. "But there may have been more in my life than cold, empirical science," she confessed._

_"Has our friendship been so meaningless?," he replied gravely. She met his eyes once more._

_"Of course not!," she exclaimed. "And that's exactly what I mean! All these years... You've never left my side. Teal'c, your friendship has meant more to me than anything else. I could have made a life with you..."_

_"You have,," he interrupted. She held his gaze, searching._

_"Was it enough?," she whispered at last. Teal'c smiled warmly down at her._

_"Indeed, it was," he murmured in reply, leaning in to brush a gentle kiss on her forehead._

_"Remember us," she whispered, stepping closer for a hug._

_"As long as I live," he vowed, gently returning the embrace. _

_It was at that moment she chose to change her stance, rising up on her toes to match him more evenly in height. And it was then, in their last moment together, that Samantha Carter at last brought her lips to his, the kiss as warm, tender and loving as ever he could have hoped. Only now, their beginning was their end, and this was all he'd ever know of the woman he loved._

_Still, it was enough. Letting his fingers tangle in her long gray hair, he deepened the kiss, making certain to tell her precisely how much he cared._

* * *

Teal'c stood silent in the dark, watching the young woman leap into her husband's waiting arms. A sad sort of joy beat in his chest. She had yearned for this moment for so many years, yet now that it had come, could she appreciate the full significance?

It pained him to think she may ever take a moment of this life for granted. It had cost _his_ Samantha Carter so much...

At last turning to help Daniel Jackson unload the SUV, he couldn't help but think that perhaps it was unwise for him to keep their shared experience a secret forever. Perhaps it was time they all learned a lesson in life.


	6. Chapter 6

"Why didn't anyone tell me you were married!," Vala excalimed, thoroughly aghast by her exclusion.

"It's need to know," Jack replied with a shrug.

"Well, I needed to know!," she retorted, hands on her hips. "You wouldn't _believe_ the thoughts racing through my head when I saw that kiss!"

"Try me," Daniel muttered, turning away.

"That information never leaves this cabin," Sam cautioned. Vala blinked in confusion.

"Our military ranks make this marriage a little..." Jack trailed, searching for the right word.

"Illegal," Sam supplied. "Nobody beyond this room knows the truth," she added for good measure.

"And I thought my family life was complicated," Vala muttered, somewhat sourly. "How long has this been going on?"

"Just over two years," Sam replied.

"And what happens if there are babies?," Vala asked. Daniel coughed.

"That's a bit of awkwardness we prefer not to discuss," Jack covered. Vala zeroed in on Daniel instead.

"You know something," she accused.

"Well, I did help plan it," he stated with a shrug. Vala scowled.

"Daniel Jackson is their cover," Teal'c replied simply. Vala rounded on him, her brow furrowed.

"He's what?," she asked, confused. Then, "Oh!" She rounded on Daniel once more. "And you weren't planning on telling me?"

"It's really none of your business," Daniel replied. Then, turning to Teal'c, "And why'd you have to tell her, anyway?"

"I no longer wish to withhold information from my friends," he calmly replied.

"And it was absolutely my business when I was going around telling people I was pregnant with your baby!," Vala exclaimed indignantly. Daniel gnashed his teeth, trying to work out a suitably barbed reply when Vala continued. "What would have happened if Samantha had actually been pregnant then? How would that have looked?" Daniel glared at her, clearly unsure which half-baked argument to attack first. Fortunately Jack intervened.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," he said with a wave. "Danny-Boy is quite notorious with the ladies." Daniel's face turned a new shade of purple, even for Vala.

"So, Vala, we were going to give you the guest room and leave the boys here to fight over the couch," Sam said, redirecting her guest's attention while leading her from the room.

"Wait. Did Muscles just say what I think he just said?," she asked, trying to squirm out of Sam's guiding grasp.

"_Now_, Vala," Sam ordered, shoving her from the room.

"What?," Jack asked with a shrug, carefully eyeing his livid friend. "You are." Daniel growled in reply, making a quick strangling motion towards Jack before dropping his hands to his sides in defeat.

* * *

"Why are we leaving?," Vala hissed. "Things were finally starting to get interesting!" Sam sighed.

"We need to talk."

"Can't it wait? I think Daniel was actually going to cause physical harm to your husband," she countered.

"Oh, they'll be fine," Sam said, waving the comment aside. "That's just how they are."

"And what did he mean, Daniel is quite notorious with the ladies? I was beginning to doubt he even _liked_ them."

Sam grinned. "In our early days as SG-1, Daniel had several...encounters, with alien women. It became a bit of a running joke at the SGC. Actually, I'm pretty sure our team still holds the record for number of alien affairs," she commented.

"Why am I never told these things?," Vala demanded. "_This_ is interesting!"

"It's all need to know," Sam replied with a shrug.

"So why are you telling me now?," Vala asked.

"You need to be able to keep up this week," she replied.

"Keep up?"

Sam grinned. "This is where we come to unwind. To be ourselves, no holds barred. Everything we say and do at the cabin, stays at the cabin."

"Like Vegas?"

Sam laughed. "Something like that, yes."

Vala shook her head. "This seems like a pretty exclusive club you have going here."

"It's a little more than that," Sam replied. "This is our family. Our home. Most of us don't have much else outside the SGC."

Vala thought about that for a moment. "Thank you," she said after a pause.

"For what?," Sam asked, surprised.

"Inviting me," Vala replied, wrapping her arms around Sam's shoulders in a tight hug.

* * *

"So, any big plans for the week?," Jack asked cheerily once the ladies were gone, in an obvious attempt to change the subject. Teal'c and Daniel both stared blankly at him in return, Jack looking from one to the other and back again. "Okay, so I know the greeting party didn't go quite as planned, but when has plan A ever worked out for us?," Jack snapped. Daniel rolled his eyes.

"This week is a disaster waiting to happen," he grumbled.

"Nonsense!," Jack replied. "I think Teal'c's offered to tell us stories from his time onboard the Odyssey, and Sam seems more than able to redirect our newest recruit. This'll be fun!"

"You say that every time."

"And it's true every time!"

Daniel eyed him warily.

"O'Neill is correct," Teal'c declared.

"Thank you, Teal'c."

Daniel sighed. "You're all going to be the death of me, you know that?"

"You mean the one that sticks?," Jack asked innocently. Daniel closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"How about some of those stories, Teal'c?," he asked a moment later, ignoring Jack completely.

"Once the others have returned, I would be happy to oblige," Teal'c replied with a smile, inclining his head.

"Doesn't that mess with the timeline somehow?," Jack asked curiously.

"The events which took place onboard the Odyssey are no longer possible," Teal'c replied. "I therefore see no harm in sharing my experiences among friends."

"Vala will be delighted," Daniel replied flatly. "Five months later, and that's still the only thing she wanted to talk about the whole way up."

"Indeed?," Teal'c inquired.

"She has some fairly colorful theories, if you're at all interested," Daniel added sourly.

"In my experience, Vala Mal Doran is often more insightful than she is currently given credit for," Teal'c noted.

If Jack didn't know any better, he'd say the Jaffa was actually baiting their friend.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Jack had assembled a variety of snack foods and drinks on the old wooden coffee table, easily accessible from any seat in the room. Sam was curled up beside him in the overstuffed armchair, her sweatpant clad legs stretched over his knees. Vala was sprawled across the couch, Daniel perched precariously at the opposite end, and Teal'c had taken the old leather recliner for himself.

"So, what are you going to tell us?," Vala asked excitedly.

"What is it you wish to know?," Teal'c replied in turn.

"How'd I keep from going wonko all those years?," Vala asked instantly. Teal'c smiled.

"You worked closely with Colonel Carter for many years on the solution which eventually freed us from the time dilation field."

"Is that it?," Vala asked, deflated. "No sordid love affairs, no stints in the brig...?" Daniel shot her a look.

"What?," she asked, shrugging at him.

"You did, in fact, pursue a romantic relationship with another member of the crew."

"Who?," Vala asked, sitting up in surprise.

"I am not at liberty to say."

"Now that's not fair!," Vala declared, straightening up further. "I thought you said there'd be no more secrets? The identity of my future lover seems to be a pretty big one, if you ask me!"

"Precisely," Teal'c replied. "If it is meant to be in this timeline as well, then you will undoubtedly find a way to make it happen."

"Samantha," Vala demanded. "Who would you have chosen?"

Sam choked on her diet coke, leaning forward to cough. "Excuse me?," she gasped.

"Well, I already know Daniel likely buried himself alive in the Asgard database, so he's out, and Landry's too old, even for a moment of absolute desperation...So that leaves Colonel Mitchell and Teal'c. Who would you choose?," she asked again. Sam stared at her, dumbfounded.

"I don't think I would have chosen anyone," she said at last. Jack looked at her in surprise.

"Fifty years without me, and you don't think you'd have moved on?," he asked incredulously.

"Would you?," she shot back, staring him down. Jack leaned back into the chair, contemplating the question.

"I don't know," he said honestly after a moment. "In a situation like that, knowing you were still alive... It wouldn't seem quite right, I guess."

"Thank you," she replied.

"That doesn't mean I'd want you to live your life alone though," he retorted.

"Jack!," she exclaimed, growing exasperated.

"No, seriously, Sam. Fifty years is a long time."

"So were the eight I spent waiting for you. Some things are worth waiting for," she replied.

"You are a very strange woman, Samantha Carter," Vala declared. All eyes turned back to her. "Well, she is," Vala defended.

"All right, I'll bite," Jack said. "Did Daniel really bury himself alive in that Asgard database?"

Teal'c smiled again. "He did indeed spend most of his time in study," he replied.

"But not all?," Daniel asked curiously.

"Of course not," Vala replied. "You would have had to eat and sleep sometime." Daniel shot her a withering look.

"What about you?," Sam asked, looking at Teal'c. "What did you do, for fifty years?"

"Many things, Colonel Carter," he replied, his smile warm. "Colonel Mitchell and I spent several hours each day in training. I would then aid Daniel Jackson in his translations of the database, and my evenings were spent with you."

"With me?," Sam asked, surprised.

"Indeed."

"Hah! That leaves me with Mitchell!," Vala triumphed.

Sam and Teal'c both shot her a look.

"I don't imagine I was very good company," Sam said at last.

"You were most devoted to your research," Teal'c agreed. Jack sighed.

"How many times do I need to order you to get a life before you finally listen?," he demanded.

Sam grinned at him. "I don't know, _Sir_. I think I'm doing a fairly decent job in _this _timeline," she replied, snuggling closer and kissing his cheek.

"I'd like you to have a life in _any_ timeline, Carter," he growled in response. Then, "T, I don't suppose you managed to coerce her out of her lab at _any_ point during those five _long _decades?," he asked.

Teal'c inclined his head, smiling. "I did indeed, O'Neill. It took many months of silent companionship, but Colonel Carter did eventually agree to watch Star Wars with me." Jack scowled.

"Sam, the next time you find yourself trapped in a time dilation field, living _decades _of your life without me, could you _please_ socialize a little more? This is just _painful_," Jack complained.

"Give her a break, Jack," Daniel put in. "Losing your spouse is no easy thing."

"I_ know_, Daniel," Jack retorted. "But neither is hearing that your spouse stopped living for _fifty_ years waiting to get back to you." Daniel blanched a little, turning away.

Sam sighed. "Jack..." she trailed warningly.

"I'm sorry," he muttered at last. "I just thought...well, if you can't have me, that you'd at least have _someone_."

She leaned in, kissing his neck. "I love you too."


	7. Chapter 7

Despite the early start and subsequent seventeen hour drive to the cabin that day, it took Daniel a long time to settle down that night.

In truth, he really hadn't given much thought to their time onboard the Odyssey in the six months following the mission. Teal'c had been tight-lipped about his experiences, and despite everyone else's apparent curiosity, Daniel had opted to move forward with his life, continuing their fight against the Ori while researching the Asgard database in every spare moment he had. And he'd thought he'd been happy with that, until today.

Then came Vala. She hadn't even been talking about him specifically, assuming he'd be perfectly content left alone for a lifetime of research. But she'd had a point. Fifty years without any meaningful relationship, or children... It was a long time. It was a lifetime. And would it feel like _wasted_ time, at the end of it all, when he had no one to share his findings, no one to share his interests, no one to share his _life_?

Sha're had been a beacon of light for Daniel, a spot of hope in an otherwise dismal existence. He'd never had much in the way of a family before meeting her, or a home. And he'd never really fit in on Earth. Then, overnight, she'd given him everything he could ever have wished: a wife, a father, a younger brother, and a community full of people who looked up to him for his role in bringing an end to the Goaul'd Ra. It had been a good life, that year on Abydos. And he'd devoted two and a half years of his life afterwards to getting it back. But what had he done since?

He'd mourned Sha're, of course, but then what? He'd redoubled his efforts with the Stargate program to rid the galaxy of the Goau'ld. He'd helped defeat the Replicators. He'd joined the fight against the Ori. And in the process of all that fighting, watching nearly every person he'd ever cared about die at the hands of one enemy or another, what had happened to him? Where had his purpose gone? He wasn't fighting for home anymore, or for the woman he loved. He wasn't fighting for his family, or even his friends. He was just fighting, day and night, barely treading water in a war that was simply never going to end.

And suddenly he found himself grieving for the Daniel who died onboard the Odyssey, completely alone. Would that be him, fifty years from now? It was exactly what Sam and Mitchell had tried to warn him about, he realized. They'd been able to see where he was headed, even when he had not.

And Jack. Much as he ever hated to admit when the soldier was right, nobody would ever wish a lifetime of loneliness on the one they loved. Sha're certainly wouldn't have. Yet, eight years after her death, he still hadn't moved on. Hadn't had a single date, hadn't even so much as flirted with another woman. Apart from the alien encounters his team so enjoyed razing him about, he hadn't had any sort of relationship since she'd been taken host.

It was a sobering thought. Even if he didn't feel quite ready yet, what about the Odyssey? Why, in fifty years, hadn't he at least_ tried_?

Granted, there'd only been Sam and Vala to chose from, he reasoned, but still. A life with a friend is at least a life. All he'd had was work. All he had now was work. Everybody else was moving on, except him. Jack and Sam were married. Teal'c spent most of his free time trying to piece together the fractured Jaffa nation. And Vala... Well, Vala would find her place, too, he had no doubt. Which really only left him.

It left a strangely empty feeling in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

Vala woke feeling troubled. Despite her elation the night before at finally discovering the truth of their experience onboard the Odyssey, it somehow didn't sit right with her. She'd already guessed that helping Samantha with her research would have staved off insanity for a short while, at least, but to discover that her lover was Cameron Mitchell... there was just something not quite right about that.

She sighed. _Why worry about it at all_, she reasoned? _ It's not like you can change it now_. But he wouldn't have been her first choice. How long had it taken her to give up on Daniel? And had she spent those fifty years wishing it was him by her side, rather than Cam?

The thing was, Vala liked Daniel. He was short-tempered and had absolutely no sense of humour, but she had the distinct impression he hadn't always been that way. And he believed in her. Despite everything she'd done to him since first meeting him two and a half years earlier, he really, truly believed in her. Nobody had ever given her so much credit before, unless you could count the innumerable mindless Goau'ld worshipers while she was still a host. Which she did not, by any means.

Cam was different. She was a member of his team, but that was it, really. He would tolerate her outside of the SGC, but they weren't really friends. How they could have been romantically involved for _fifty_ years was entirely beyond her imagination. She must have lived pinning for Daniel, she decided at last. There was simply no way she could have been happy with Cameron Mitchell, anymore than he could have been happy with her. They must simply have settled for what they could get, and made the most of a bad situation for all those years... Which, when she came to think of it, was really no way to live at all.

Daniel was the one she wanted. And if she had been given this second chance, then Daniel was the one she would get. Even if it took her the next fifty years to convince him she was right.

* * *

Daniel was the last one up that morning, stumbling bleary-eyed into the small kitchen to find all his friends already clustered around the cluttered table, eating, laughing, and having a grand old time.

" 'Morning, sleeping beauty," Jack quipped as Daniel grabbed an empty mug and filled it with steaming coffee. Daniel grunted in reply.

"Daniel, come and try some of this," Vala said, motioning towards the lone remaining vacant seat, nestled between her and Sam. Daniel blinked blearily at her, sipping his coffee. "It's called Lucky Charms, although I haven't quite figured what makes it lucky, yet."

"I believe that would be the dehydrated confections within the cereal," Teal'c replied with a smile.

Vala held one of the tiny marshmallows up for closer scrutiny. "I still don't see it," she said at last. Jack smirked into his orange juice, while Daniel frowned.

"It's the shape," he replied rather vaguely. Vala squinted at the tiny green blob, giving a small shrug.

"If you say so," she replied, popping the candy into her mouth.

Daniel slumped into the chair beside her, taking a long draw of coffee.

"You know, I've heard that that stuff is horrible for you," Vala pointed out, popping another marshmallow into her mouth. Daniel scowled.

"So, now that we're all up," Jack said, rubbing his hands together excitedly, "Any big plans for today?"

"Maybe one or two little ones," Vala replied smugly, rubbing her foot up and down Daniel's leg beneath the table. Everyone stared at her a moment with looks of mild confusion, save for the object of her attention. Daniel glowered into his coffee cup instead, pretending not to notice her efforts, even as her foot slid beneath his pant leg, all the way up to his knee.

"Well, I brought a couple of new novels with me, so I was thinking of having a lazy day on the dock...," Sam replied. Jack grinned.

"You don't say? It just so happens, my plans involved lazing on the dock as well," Jack said, gazing appraisingly at his wife. Daniel rolled his eyes.

"You know, you two do have a room here," he muttered.

"Ah! Daniel, what's the number two rule at the cabin?"

Daniel sighed. "Public displays of affection are to be tolerated without comment," he grumbled.

"What's the number one rule?," Vala asked, confused.

"No work allowed," Sam supplied with a grin.

"Are there any other rules I should know about?," she asked.

"Nope," Jack replied.

"Yes," replied Daniel. Vala looked from one to the other in consternation. "Never walk into the cabin unannounced when these two are alone," he explained after a moment, indicating their married friends. Now it was Jack's turn to roll his eyes.

"Give me a break, Daniel. It was one time."

"Once was enough," Daniel shot back. "Like walking in on your parents," he shuddered. Sam smacked his arm, hard.

"I resent that," she said. Daniel rubbed his stinging arm, reserving any further comments to the recesses of his mind.

"I believe I will spend the day in meditation," Teal'c replied, returning to Jack's original question.

"With a fishing rod in hand?," Jack asked hopefully.

"No," Teal'c replied.

"Care for some company?," Daniel asked, hoping maybe to clear his head a little.

Teal'c tilted his head forward in silent affirmation.

"What about me?," Vala asked, a look of panic coming into her eyes. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Oh, here," said Sam, getting up from the table to retrieve something from the other room. "You might like these," she said, returning to hand Vala the first romance novels she herself had ever read. Daniel frowned.

"I think she'd like the one's you brought out last year a little more," he said.

"How would you know?," Vala demanded, graciously accepting the novels from their friend.

"These are military romance," Daniel explained, gesturing towards the books now clutched to Vala's chest. "The other ones are full of pirates, thieves, and knaves. Much more your style." Vala glared at him, then looked sheepishly at Sam.

"I'll go get the other ones," Sam laughed, disappearing from the room once more.

"So I guess that settles it," Jack said, rising from the table. "We'll call it a 'make your own lunch day' and I'll see you all back here at six for dinner."


	8. Chapter 8

The morning was cool, with a heavy mist drifting lazily across the pond's surface as Jack and Sam settled themselves in chairs on the dock. Sam wrapped herself snuggly in an old army blanket, curling her feet up beneath her in the chair, while Jack stretched out in his, clearly amused by her layers.

"Would you like me to build you a fire?," he teased, eyes dancing with mirth.

"I'm fine," she replied, not taking the bait.

"I've seen Eskimos dressed in fewer layers."

"Are you going to be like this all day? I can go somewhere else to read."

"No, no. It's just, you look cold."

She rolled her eyes. "I have a blanket. I'm fine."

"All right. I'm just saying..."

"Jack!"

"You're very pretty today."

"Thank you."

She opened her book, trying to ignore his persistent gaze.

"So, you're really going to read?"

She peered over the edge of her page, trying not to laugh. "Is there something you'd rather I do?"

"I have a spare rod in the shed if you'd like..."

"Jack."

"I know, I know. You'll sit with me, but you won't fish with me. I just don't see why."

Sam lowered her book, still trying to keep her own amusement under wraps. He only got worse with encouragement. "Knowing the precise odds of catching a fish in this pond really does take some of the fun out of it," she replied.

"I could add some fish, if you'd like."

"Jack, is there something on your mind?"

"No. I don't know. Maybe?"

Sam sighed. "Spill."

"They're a bit of an odd match."

"Who?"

"Daniel and Vala."

"And we're normal?"

"Uh...yeah," he said.

"Uh-huh."

"It's just, she seems to annoy him. A lot."

Sam cocked an eyebrow meaningfully at her husband.

"What?!," he asked, defensively. "I don't annoy you _that_ much, do I?"

Sam grinned. "Probably not. But Teal'c says they were happy together. And that Daniel _asked_ for this."

"Maybe he was hallucinating?," Jack tried.

Sam shot him a look. "We're not actually setting them up, Jack. We're just presenting them with an opportunity."

"I don't remember him being so crabby," Jack noted.

"I know," Sam said with a frown. "It took me a long time to notice, but the more I think about it, the more I think he's been like that since his second ascension."

"You think they did something to him?"

She shook her head. "More like, I think seeing Abydos destroyed was the last straw. He blames himself. Blames himself for letting the Ori into our galaxy as well."

Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That's heavy."

"No kidding. But it makes me think that a lot of his irritation has very little to do with Vala at all."

"Oi," Jack muttered, running a hand across his face.

"Yeah. I plan on keeping a close eye on him this week," she confessed.

"Well, I've got your back," Jack replied, smiling just a little.

"I know," she said, lacing her fingers together with his as they settled in for a quiet day on the dock.

* * *

Teal'c and Daniel had taken over the living room for their meditation, having determined that the crisp October weather was a little too brisk for deep internal reflection out on the back deck. Drawing the curtains shut and lighting their candles, they sat facing each other at opposite ends of the room, eyes closed, breathing deep.

It had been nearly two years since Daniel had last joined his friend in silent meditation. The threat of the Ori had not permitted much time for any sort of spiritual release, and Daniel now found that he was having a difficult time relaxing into the required meditative trance.

Everything had been so much simpler when they only had the Goau'ld to worry about.

Now his mind was full of doubts and fears, burdened by regrets. For someone who had died and ascended twice now, he was beginning to feel disturbingly world-weary. As if there just wasn't anything left to give; he was already entirely gone.

He shifted uncomfortably, his back and legs beginning to ache from his position on the floor. He tried to ignore it, focusing instead on slowly filling his lungs, clearing his head. Teal'c's steady breathing was a soothing reminder of where he should be right now, lost in the calming planes of subconsciousness.

In. Out. In. Out. Daniel's muscles began to relax, easing some of his earlier discomfort. In. Out. In. Out. His head swam, somewhere on the cusp between awake and asleep. In. Out. In. Out. Somewhere, far away, someone was humming. Daniel's muscles tensed, his eyes snapping open with a start.

Daniel rose stiffly to his feet, purposefully making his way towards the source of the distraction. Sliding the screen door aside and stepping into the cool morning air, he found the Vala sitting in a lawn chair, her novel abandoned in favour of a fashion magazine, which she carelessly perused while humming along to something Daniel vaguely recognized from the radio on the way up.

"Vala," he said in exasperation. "What are you doing?"

Vala looked up at him in surprise. "Well, what does it look like, Daniel? I'm sitting out here, freezing my butt off, trying to keep busy so you and Teal'c can have your little meditation time while Samantha and her _husband_ can have their alone time. And I'll tell you, it's not exactly fun."

"What's with the humming?," Daniel demanded, cutting to the chase.

Vala blinked. "Humming?"

"Yes! _Humming_," Daniel shouted. "How is anyone supposed to relax with you out here making all that noise?!"

Vala put her magazine down, rising to her feet. "Honestly, Daniel, it couldn't have been that loud if I didn't even realize I was doing it!," she countered hotly.

Daniel growled in frustration. "You always do this, you know," he accused angrily. "You just can't leave well-enough alone. If it's not brightly coloured, obnoxiously loud or garishly flashy, you're just not interested. And when you're not interested in something, everyone around you has to suffer for it!," he shouted.

"What's that supposed to mean?!," she demanded angrily.

"It means you're a nuisance, Vala! A constant, throbbing pain in my neck! Why'd you even come up here? You know as well as I do this isn't your sort of place. It's too quiet. Too _dull_," he sneered.

"Samantha invited me," she answered more softly, struggling to keep her emotions in check.

"You don't belong here," he snarled. "Not at the cabin, not at the SGC, and not on Earth. You make a mess of everything. You're a loose cannon, and one of these days, you're going to get us all killed."

"That's _enough_, Daniel," Jack's voice rang out, slicing through the fury gripping the younger man. Daniel glared at Vala, not caring that her bottom lip trembled as tears of betrayal streaked down her face, not caring that all their friends had just born witness to his ire, not caring that somewhere deep down, he was already beginning to loath the man he had become. None of it mattered anymore.

Jack grabbed him roughly by the shoulder, pushing him down the stairs and across the lawn towards the small shed.

"What the hell has gotten into you, Daniel?," he growled, twisting the younger man around to face him.

"I can't think with her around," he ground out, glaring balefully in the direction from which they had just come.

"Somehow, I don't think Vala's the problem," Jack remarked, letting Daniel go with a tiny shove. Wrenching the shed door open, Jack started removing tools, handing them to a suddenly bewildered Daniel.

"Jack, what are you doing?," he asked uncertainly.

"Solving the problem," Jack snapped.

"Wouldn't it be more humane simply to shoot me?," Daniel asked, dubiously eyeing the assortment of saws, axes, shovels, and blades being handed his way.

"Probably," Jack growled, retreating from the shed and closing the door. "But I don't want you _dead_, Daniel, I want you _fixed_. And if you don't want to talk, you're at least going to _think_."

Jack stalked off, heading towards the road. Daniel followed, his anger dissipated and a sense of foreboding taking its place.

"Jack, where are we going?," Daniel asked, concerned.

"Where do you think, Daniel?," Jack demanded, rounding on him once more. Daniel blinked.

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

Jack turned back around and kept walking, leading Daniel from the main road onto the trail. The trail.

"Jack, you can't seriously mean...?"

"Work it out, Daniel," Jack ordered, motioning towards the thick undergrowth encroaching on the meandering path.

"Where do I even begin?," Daniel asked helplessly.

"Wherever you want," Jack replied. "That's the beauty of the trail. I'll bring a tent and some supplies later on," he added.

Daniel gaped at him. "You're kicking me out?," he asked incredulously.

"Trust me, Daniel, it's for your own good," Jack replied. "Now get to work. We only have a few days out here, and I want this dealt with before we all have to leave again."

"Jack..."

"Look," he snapped, "I know I haven't been around much lately, but the Daniel _I _know doesn't lose it like that. That's my job. You're supposed to be the voice of reason."

They locked eyes.

"Jack," he tried again.

"No, Daniel. You're better than this. Work it out." And with that, Jack stalked off, leaving Daniel alone in the woods with nothing for company but an odd assortment of tools, and an even odder assortment of emotions.


	9. Chapter 9

Vala walked numbly back to her room, gratefully closing the door as her grief threatened to overwhelm her. She had been so _certain _that Daniel was the one. More the fool, she. Burying her head in the guestroom pillow, Vala gave vent to her heartache in great, shuddering sobs. The things he had said... How could she ever have been so blind as to believe she could be happy with that man?

There was a soft tap at her door, and Vala raised her head just long enough to shout, "Go away." The door opened anyway. Vala didn't care. She wasn't ready to talk. It just hurt too much.

"Vala Mal Doran," came Teal'c's gentle greeting as he softly closed the door behind him. Vala looked up at the unexpected visitor, clumsily brushing tears from her eyes. He sat down beside her on the bed, placing a sympathetic hand on her side.

Vala sniffled loudly. "What can I do for you, Teal'c?," she asked, still uncertain as to why he, and not Samantha, would have come.

"It is I who wish to offer something to you," Teal'c replied soothingly.

Vala's lower lip trembled and she turned away, fresh tears flowing down her cheeks. "I don't think I'm quite in the mood for any well-meaning advice," she countered, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Teal'c smiled fondly at her, the caring affection reaching his voice. "It is not advice that I wish to offer," he replied. Then, "Daniel Jackson once experienced a similar outburst onboard the Odyssey," he said. Vala sniffled loudly again.

"So that's how I ended up with Cam," she noted, dejectedly.

"Indeed it is not, my friend," he replied kindly. "You and Colonel Mitchell were never romantically involved."

"What?," Vala asked, raising her head once more to stare at him in confusion. "But I thought..."

"You were mistaken," Teal'c replied simply.

"But you said I was with someone. And if _you_ were busy tending to Samantha, and _Daniel_ was busy being a pompous ass... New tears coursed over her already streaked face. "Surely I didn't stoop to the level of sleeping with the General?," she asked tearfully, a fresh sob escaping from her chest.

Teal'c shook his head, a small smile playing across his lips. "You did not. In fact, you were very much in love with the man you chose, and he with you."

"Then who was it?," she asked, despair and confusion warring with her natural curiosity.

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c replied.

Vala laughed mirthlessly. "After the things he said, I think his feelings for me have been made abundantly clear," Vala observed. "And they don't seem to tend in my favour," she added.

"And yet, before the Odyssey was destroyed, it was Daniel Jackson who sought my assistance in guiding him back to you."

"I don't understand," Vala said, sniffling again.

"Daniel Jackson believed there would be many obstacles to pursuing a relationship in this timeline. He did not wish to make the mistake of living his life without you by his side."

"I'm not so sure he'd feel the same way now," Vala pointed out. "I don't think he even likes me, let alone loves me," she added.

"And so he thought in the early months of our confinement onboard the Odyssey," Teal'c agreed with a nod. "You, however, remained persistent, and I do not believe there was ever a moment's regret in the way things turned out between yourself and Daniel Jackson."

Vala snorted. "If I didn't know any better, Muscles, I'd say you were a romantic at heart," she scoffed. "But what was true onboard the Odyssey won't necessarily be true here. There weren't a lot of choices out there. I'm sure we did a lot of things out of sheer desperation that we'd never consider doing under normal circumstances now."

"Vala Mal Doran. I do not believe that what you shared with Daniel Jackson was motivated by desperation."

"I wouldn't be so sure," she countered derisively. "He obviously can't stand to be near me."

"The Daniel Jackson I know cares for you a great deal. Enough to endanger the timeline to be with you once more. Do not discount the years you lived onboard the Odyssey. Although you may not recall, you and he were happily married for five long decades."

Vala shook her head. "You'll have to forgive me for finding this all a little difficult to believe, given the circumstances."

"Nonetheless, you must believe."

"And why is that, exactly?"

"That which we have witnessed today...It was you who put things to right again onboard the Odyssey."

"That doesn't necessarily mean it will be me this time, Teal'c. I have my answer. I'm the last person he could ever want to spend his life with. And quite frankly, after that outburst, I think he may very well be the last person I'd ever want to spend my life with. You'll just have to find someone else to do your dirty work."

"That is indeed unfortunate, Vala Mal Doran," Teal'c replied quietly.

"Yes, well. Unfortunate or not, that's just how it is. From now on, I want absolutely nothing to do with Dr. Daniel Jackson."

* * *

Jack came back alone. Sam stood waiting for him, at a loss. Vala was hiding in her room. Teal'c had gone to talk to her. And Daniel was nowhere to be seen.

"Jack, what's going on?," she asked as he climbed the steps back to the porch.

"I gave ole' Danny-boy a bit of homework," he replied cryptically.

"Homework? Jack! What have you done?"

Jack shrugged. "I haven't done anything. He obviously has a few things to work out, I gave him an outlet. Nothing to it."

"The trail," Sam breathed, comprehension dawning. "Jack, are you sure about this? I mean, it's _Daniel_. Do you think he'll be all right alone?"

"He's a big boy, Sam. He'll figure things out."

"Before or after he bleeds out from an accidental axe wound?," she demanded.

"Sam. He'll be fine. He just needs a place to vent."

"But the trail, Jack? He's always been more of a talker..."

"He's a live grenade," Jack countered. "And I'd rather he blow out there than here, with us," he added.

"How long do you plan on leaving him out there?"

"As long as it takes."

"Jack!"

"Sam. Do you trust me?," he said, meeting her worried gaze.

"Of course," she said, frowning. "But..."

"Ah!," he interrupted. "Trust me now. I've walked this road. He just needs a little space."

"And if this doesn't work?"

"Then we'll try it your way," he promised.

* * *

Daniel stared at the woods, the tools, and the trail. He had no idea where to begin. He had no idea what he was actually supposed to be doing. All he knew was that Jack wasn't going to let him go back until it was done. Whatever _it_ was.

He hefted an old scythe experimentally. It was heavier than he'd expected, but a tentative swing towards a clump of long grass revealed a good balance, providing an almost satisfying sweeping motion. The grass was shorn.

Daniel looked around, finding another overgrown clump. He took a swing at that, too, cutting it down to a more manageable length. It wasn't as unpleasant as he'd expected. He searched for more grass, mowing it down by hand, relishing the fluidity of the tool in his palms.

He walked along the trail, trimming back the overgrowth as he went. The sun moved higher in the sky, marking the passage of time. He had nearly completed the loop when his stomach started to rumble. He ignored it, concentrating instead on the task at hand. His hands ached and back ached. His shirt was soaked with perspiration despite the autumn air. His head burned under the glare of the sun. The scythe picked off another clump of grass.

"Thought you could use some lunch," Jack called, coming towards him from the opposite end of the trail.

The scythe swung down on an unsuspecting patch of grass, severing the top foot and a half from the base.

"Thanks," Daniel replied, taking another swing.

"Looks good," Jack noted, nodding in the direction from which Daniel had come.

"Thanks," Daniel repeated, slicing into a particularly dense clump.

Jack nodded, placing the bag on the ground.

"What exactly am I supposed to be doing out here, Jack?," Daniel called, taking another swing.

Jack turned to face him. "Let me ask you this," he said by way of answer. "If a man vents his rage in the woods, does anyone need to know?"

"You know," Daniel replied.

"Do I?," Jack asked, turning away again. "Do what you need to do, Daniel. There's no right or wrong out here."

He walked away.

Daniel watched, perplexed, then took another swing. He'd finish trimming before he ate.


	10. Chapter 10

Vala emerged from her room sometime around lunch, eyes red from crying, but otherwise composed. Sam was curled up in Jack's favourite recliner, book in hand, waiting for her.

"There's a sandwich in the fridge for you, if you're hungry," she said gently, glancing up from her reading. Vala nodded, heading towards the kitchen. She returned a few moments later, sandwich in hand, to perch on the edge of the couch. Sam carefully placed a well-worn page marker in her book, and set the novel aside.

"You okay?," she asked hesitantly, leaning forward.

"Of course!," Vala laughed, the tension in her face stating otherwise. "It's not like I had mapped out my entire future with Daniel," she added. Sam cringed reflexively. Vala took a huge bite of sandwich, waving the rest around as she spoke. "I mean, sure I thought maybe, someday, he'd be curious enough to try something new. But really, there's a whole galaxy full of men out there, so why worry about him?"

"That would depend a lot on whether you really care about him or not," Sam replied softly. Vala snorted.

"You know, I've never cared much for anyone," she replied after a moment. "Bad for business, you understand," she explained with a wave of her sandwich filled hand, alluding to her time as interplanetary thief extraordinaire. "And before that, I was a Goa'uld host. Not much opportunity to form attachments there," she continued. "And before _that_... we'll, you've met my father." Sam flinched again, though Vala didn't seem to notice.

"I've loved Jack almost since the day we met," Sam confessed. "But our ranks have always made any formal relationship illegal," she continued, gazing at her hands. "I gave up, once," she whispered. "I was all set to marry another man, to prove I could forget Jack O'Neill and move on with my life. It would have been the biggest mistake I've ever made."

"What happened?," Vala asked curiously. Sam met her eyes, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"My dad. Daniel. Teal'c. They had all had enough of watching Jack and I skirt around each other all those years. And in their own way, they each told me what I needed to do."

"What did you do?," Vala whispered, mesmerized.

This time Sam really did smile. "I came here. Jack had been inviting us all for years, but we'd always avoided it for various reasons. But just after my dad died, I decided I couldn't lie to myself anymore. I broke things off with Pete, and I accepted the next invitation Jack offered. The rest, you already know."

"So you're saying you don't think I should give up on Daniel?," she demanded.

"I'm _saying_...if what you feel is real, then don't turn away from it. Step back from it for a while, think things through...but don't turn away. He's a good man, Vala. One in a million. And I'm _so_ sorry I didn't notice how much strain he was under until now."

"Sam, you can't blame yourself for the things he said..."

"You don't know him like we do," Sam said, shaking her head. "Before the Ori, I'd only ever seen him lose his temper a handful of times. And even then, it was usually directed at Jack, who actually always deserved it." Vala raised her eyebrows in surprise. "We should have noticed the change sooner. We should have made him talk," she finished.

"It's not your fault," Vala replied.

"He's one of my best friends, Vala. And I haven't been there for him."

"We'll, you're here now," she said decisively. "That's gotta count for something."

"Let's hope so," Sam said.

They lapsed into companionable silence for awhile while Vala finished her meal, brushing stray crumbs onto her plate before setting it gently on the coffee table.

"Well," Vala said desolately, rising from her seat, "I guess I can't avoid the others forever."

"Actually," Sam replied carefully, "I don't think you'll have to worry about Daniel for a while."

"Why not?," she asked, puzzled.

"Because Jack kicked him out," Sam replied with a slight wince. Vala's eyes widened in surprise.

"He did _what_?"

"Sent him out to the bush to work things out," she confessed.

"Work _what_ out?," Vala asked, still bewildered.

Sam shrugged. "Whatever's really bothering him. It isn't you, Vala. Trust me."

"So Daniel is...?"

"Out on Jack's trail with all his tools," Sam replied. Vala slumped back down to the couch.

"He's going to hate me," she mumbled, her eyes welling once more.

"What? Why?," Sam asked, confused.

"This is supposed to be his safe haven. And he's been kicked out, because of me," she said mournfully.

"Vala. He's not going to hate you. If anyone, he'll hate Jack. And only for a little while," Sam reassured. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right."

"How can you say that?"

Sam smiled. "We're talking about Daniel. He can't stay like this forever. It goes against his nature."

"What's he really like, then?," Vala asked, curious.

"You've seen it, here and there," Sam replied, her smile widening fondly. "When we found you in that warehouse; that was pure Daniel. He's all heart."

"And you're sure he hasn't changed?," she asked, clearly not believing her.

Sam shook her head. "Not that much. He's a good man, Vala. One of the best."

"Sam," Vala said, remembering something. "What did you mean, when you said this wasn't about me?"

"We think...Well, Jack and I think, that maybe none of Daniel's irritability towards you has really had anything to do with you, per se...We think that you've just been...um...a convenient outlet," Sam finished, cringing slightly at the callousness of her own words.

"Lucky me," Vala retorted sarcastically.

* * *

When Daniel returned to the head of the trail, he found that Jack had been busy, as well. A tent had been pitched just out of sight of the main road, in a miniscule clearing with easy access to the trail, and had been stocked with supplies. As well as an air mattress, thermal blankets, and a heavy sleeping bag, Jack had provided two sealed containers of water, snack food, a kerosene lamp, matches, and a blank notebook and pen.

Daniel dropped his lunch bag beside the tent, leaning against the trunk of an ancient red pine to eat his meal. Everything ached, and he had a whole slew of angry blisters across his palms despite having worn Jack's heavy work gloves, but by all appearances, Jack wasn't satisfied. He was going to stick to his guns and keep Daniel out here until he 'figured things out.'

Only Daniel wasn't entirely sure what needed to be figured.

All right, so he'd lost his temper. And, according to Sam and Mitchell, he was becoming something of a recluse. And there was no doubt in Vala's mind that he'd chose books over human interaction any day.

Really, Teal'c was the only one who hadn't indicated that there was something wrong with him. Maybe everyone else had just lost their minds.

Daniel stared out at the trail, sighing.

Well, there were always low-hanging branches he could trim next, he supposed. And that fallen tree on the far side of the pond. He could chop that into firewood for Jack. Maybe that would earn him some brownie points.

Daniel finished his lunch in a few big bites, hurrying through to get the work done. And who knew? Maybe a night in a tent by himself would do him good. He might actually be able to sleep in peace. Nobody tossing and turning beside him. Nobody snoring. No early risers. Maybe this really would be exactly what he needed.

Grabbing the axe, Daniel smiled. Maybe this week wasn't going to be so bad, after all.

* * *

"So, how was he?," Sam whispered later that night. "When you went to check on him?"

Jack rolled over to face her, meeting those gorgeous blue eyes, in the light of the moon. "He's fine," Jack replied shortly.

"Well, that's good," Sam breathed, sounding relieved.

"He's in denial," Jack clarified. "He's not even really trying yet."

"What exactly are you expecting him to do?," Sam asked.

"Vent. Destructively," Jack replied.

"The way you do?"

"The way anyone who has seen and done as much as we have would do," he replied.

Sam shook her head. "Everyone deals differently with the stress," she argued.

"Not once it's pushed them this far," Jack countered. "This isn't really any different than your need to train Daniel into a mean, lean fighting machine whenever things got rough," he added. "It's an outlet."

"And the work he's done so far doesn't count because...?"

"It's too deliberate," Jack replied. "When he really starts to deal, it's going to get messy out there."

"And you're sure he needs to be alone?"

"Positive. Once he's through the anger, you can try to talk to him. But not before."

Sam sighed, her warm breath tickling his face. "How long do you think it will take?"

"That all depends on Daniel."

"How long does it take you?," she asked softly.

"That all depends on the situation," he replied, gently running a finger along her face. "Sometimes days. Sometimes longer."

Sam shivered at his words, despite the warmth of his touch. "I wish there were more we could do for him."

"Getting him through this will be a huge step. Sticking close to him afterwards will be helpful too."

"What helped you? Afterwards?," she asked, stroking the rough stubble lining his jaw, and letting her fingers tangle in his silvery hair.

He smiled, warm and playful. "Coming back to you," he replied, gently kissing her wrist. "All of you," he amended, more seriously. "I couldn't ask for a better set of friends."

Sam leaned over and kissed him, slow and savoring, eventually allowing him to deepen the kiss.

"Jack," she whispered, some time later.

"Yeah?," he breathed, shifting closer to tighten his hold on her.

"I always feel better coming back to you, too."

At that he chuckled, drawing her in for another kiss. It was a long time before they pulled away again.


	11. Chapter 11

Teal'c couldn't sleep.

He shifted restlessly on the couch, shoving his hands up under his pillow for additional support, but no amount of repositioning seemed to help.

Through the partially opened door, he could hear the soft sounds of Vala's sleep-laden breathing as she dreamed peacefully in the next room. One room over, the sound of a hushed conversation reached his ears, along with muted giggling.

Teal'c shut his eyes, listening. Sam's laugh was an enchanting sound. One too infrequently heard.

_It was always easiest to forget when they were together._

_The ship. The Ori beam. The unlikelihood of escape._

_But on nights like this, when they were all together...it was almost as if nothing had changed._

_Samantha could be heard laughing at something Daniel Jackson had said, even as Vala swatted him in the arm for the same. To his right, Colonel Mitchell chuckled, launching into his own observations, drawing the laughter of the others. And around it went._

_She never laughed like that alone. And try though he might, he never seemed to earn more than an affectionate smile for his efforts._

_He loved her laughter. If a single sound could heal their wounds, that would be it._

_He could almost believe she was happy._

_Glancing across at her, he saw the lines of tension ease from her face, the burden of loneliness and defeat set aside for the evening._

_She was radiant. _

_He sometimes wished he could have the same effect on her._

_Sam caught his eye, the ensuing smile lighting her entire face. _

_Tonight, she hadn't a care in the world. Tonight, he could smile in reply..._

He flipped over again, staring dejectedly at the darkened ceiling. He was beginning to envy Daniel Jackson his tent in the woods.

* * *

The sun was not up yet before Daniel heard a rustling just outside his tent. Rubbing his hands over his sleep-bleary eyes, he flipped over, reaching for his glasses as he crawled from the snug warmth of his personal cocoon to the flap leading outside. He blinked in the predawn gloom, waiting for his eyes to adjust.

Teal'c was weighing axes.

"Teal'c," Daniel asked sleepily. "What are you doing?"

"I am in need of one of these tools, Daniel Jackson," the large man replied.

"O-kaay...," Daniel drawled. "Why?"

"You are not the only one in need of physical meditation," he commented, apparently deciding on the larger of the three blades.

So much for the theory that everyone but Teal'c had lost their minds.

"It's not even light out yet," Daniel noted, wishing for a cup of warm coffee in his hands.

"I was unable to sleep."

"Missed my snoring?," Daniel quipped.

"No," Teal'c replied shortly.

Coffee would be _really_ good right about now.

"Okay. So, what gives?"

"Colonel Carter was laughing."

"Uh-huh. And...?"

"That is all," Teal'c noted flatly. Then, "Which trees are we to fell, Daniel Jackson?"

"Uh, I don't know, actually," he said. "Jack just told me to work things out."

Teal'c nodded briefly. "In that case, I will find a suitable location myself," he replied, stalking off into the dark.

Daniel watched him go, trying to wrap his mind around what had just been said. Failing that, he crawled back into the tent, flopping exhaustedly on top of his sleeping bag and falling quickly back to sleep.

* * *

He selected a copse of aged yellow birch some distance from his friend's tent, not wishing to disturb the other man's rest any more than necessary. Hefting the axe, Teal'c swung hard at the nearest tree, taking out half the trunk with his first blow. A slow smile of satisfaction spread across his face as his arms drew back for a second attack.

In fifty years, he had never managed to achieve what O'Neill accomplished so simply.

The axe swung down again. One more blow like that and the tree would be down. Teal'c readied the axe once more.

He had known this would be his fate.

As soon as Samantha had presented her plan, he had known.

He had survived worse, he'd reasoned.

But letting Samantha go... As inevitable as it may always have been, she had found a place in his heart. He had loved her, just as Daniel had suspected so many years before. And it pained him now to realize just how inadequate his attention must have been...

The tree crashed down to the forest floor with a horrific crack of splintering wood and crushed leaves. He moved on to the next, pulling back to deliver another deadly blow.

The problem was not that she was so obviously happy with O'Neill; that, he'd always known.

It was that he had dared take the place of another man, and failed.

He'd failed Samantha.

The second tree fell with the same crack and thud, dry autumn leaves flying every which way as the old birch came down. Teal'c swung 'round to a third, readying his blade.

He should have allowed Mitchell a chance. It may have saved both his friends a lifetime of loneliness.

He swung again. Again, and again, and again. Two more trees joined the first. The copse was emptying fast.

Teal'c's grief claimed him. He had loved her, but not enough to give her what she deserved. He could never make her happy.

In this, he was no better than Fro'tac.

Teal'c bellowed with the next blow, swinging with the full force of his might. Fury overtook him. Trees fell all around. Yet still, his pain would not abate.

How could he have betrayed her trust?

* * *

Daniel heard the noise and woke with a start. Grabbing his glasses, he rushed from the tent, running toward the sound of his friend's anguished cry. Teal'c's voice had carried far through the crisp morning air, and it was several long minutes before he at last reached the scene.

Teal'c was massacring trees.

Daniel stopped short, watching in horrified wonder. He had seen Teal'c angry. He had seen him hurt. But he had never seen him so completely out of control. Two more trees fell in the span of a few breaths.

Was this the sort of violent release Jack was expecting from him?

And what had prompted it in the generally stoic Jaffa?

He glanced around. There was no safe way to approach. No way to broach any sort of meaningful dialogue. Sighing, Daniel resigned himself to waiting.

When Teal'c was ready, he'd be there.

* * *

Jack woke in the dark silence of early dawn. Sam was curled tightly against his side, an arm splayed across his chest. Her head was buried in the crook of his neck, warm breath tickling the exposed skin. He smiled, gently wrapping his free arm around her torso, breathing her in.

She always smelled so good.

Unfortunately, he was getting kinked from being trapped in the same position for so long. Sighing, he gently pulled away, replacing himself with his pillow. She groaned softly at the interference, but he pulled the blankets higher up around her, and she settled back down with a contented sigh.

Jack crept stiffly from the room, grabbing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt on the way. An early morning jog might do his ageing muscles some good, he reasoned.

Tiptoeing to the living room to grab his shoes, he was more than a little surprised to find it empty. Since learning to sleep, Teal'c was rarely up this early in the morning. Yet not only did he appear to be up, he was also gone.

Jack frowned, slipping on his coat and shoes. Heading outside, he was greeted by a gust of brisk morning air, but no sign of Teal'c.

Maybe he'd catch up with him on the trail.

Stretching quickly, Jack broke into a slow jog, loosening the kinks and gaining speed as he went.

Reaching the trailhead, he turned onto the familiar path, pounding his way past Daniel's tent, deeper into the dark woods. He could barely see a thing, but Jack knew the trail well...

And that's when he heard the sound of an axe driving into a tree, the splintering wood crashing to the ground.

Jack jogged a little faster, hurrying towards the sound of destruction up ahead. It was a damn fool time to be felling trees, he thought darkly to himself, wondering what the hell Daniel was thinking.

Then he heard a new sound, the anguished cry of a broken man, and he broke into a dead run. That wasn't Daniel.

Jack stopped just short of actually being able to see his friend, gaping in awe at the trees now littering his trail. Daniel sat patiently on a rock nearby, watching.

"Daniel, what the hell is going on?," Jack demanded.

"Don't know," Daniel replied with a shrug. "But I'm guessing it's big."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"Something about Sam laughing. As if that explained everything."

Jack frowned. "Daniel," he said slowly, "Is it possible that Teal'c left more than a group of elderly friends onboard that ship?"

Daniel squinted up at him, clearly trying to make sense of the question. Finally he said, "Well, he did say he spent his evenings with Sam...though since her feelings for you never wavered, I don't see how that could be pertinent..."

"_Her_ feelings didn't change. What about _his_?," Jack asked succinctly, staring at the destruction.

Daniel gaped at him. "I don't know. I've never given it much thought," he admitted.

"He loves her," Jack stated. If her laugh had triggered all this... "At least as much as I do," he added, with a growing sense of awe.

"Teal'c and_ Sam_?," Daniel shot incredulously. "Jack that's..." He stopped, cut off by Jack.

"Don't say ridiculous, Daniel," Jack warned.

"...Unlikely," Daniel supplied instead.

"I'm sure it didn't happen overnight," Jack snapped. "But they've been friends a long time. He's offered her comfort in the past. She trusts him. It could happen," he said, wincing slightly.

Daniel shook his head. "Teal'c would see it as a betrayal, regardless of how many years had gone by. He'd never do that to you."

"I'm not saying he _did_ anything," Jack shot. "I'm saying he fell in love. It's been known to happen."

Daniel stared out at the wreckage, his mind working in overdrive. "So he spent fifty years by her side, loving her even though she never returned his love, and then came back here where she's still happily married to you," Daniel summarized.

"That'd be my guess," Jack replied, looking out into the distance.

"I can't even imagine how that must feel for him," Daniel said, his tone more sympathetic now.

"I can," Jack sighed, rubbing both hands across his tired face.

"So what do we do?," Daniel asked.

Jack shrugged. "We wait."

"And then..."

"I try to talk to him."

"You're okay with that?"

"He's my best friend, Daniel."

"He's also in love with your wife."

"He's in love with the Samantha Carter who died on that ship," Jack corrected. "This is grief," he added, pointing toward the carnage.

* * *

Sam woke to find Vala ensconced at the kitchen table, absently nibbling on a bowl of dry cereal while staring off into space. The romance novel she'd lent her the day before lay casually beneath Vala's hand.

Sam glanced around curiously, wondering where the guys had disappeared to so early in the morning. The sun couldn't have been up for more than half an hour.

"Where's everyone else?," she asked, grabbing a clean bowl and pouring herself some cereal.

Vala shrugged. "Don't know. I had assumed it was part of some ritualistic 'leave-the-newbie-alone-to-go-wonko' sort of scheme you've got going on out here. But since you're still here, I guess not."

Sam poured some milk over her cereal, eyeing Vala skeptically. "You don't really think we'd actually abandon you, do you?," she asked after a moment. Vala shrugged again.

"In the line of duty, no. But so far this little vacation of ours hasn't been quite what I'd expected," she confessed.

"Me neither," Sam admitted, taking a bite of food. Then, "How are you liking it so far?," she asked, motioning toward the open book by Vala's hand.

Vala glanced down, as if seeing the book for the first time. "It's not really as good as the real thing, is it?," she asked in reply

Sam grinned. "Better or worse than Daniel's books?," she tried instead.

"Different," Vala replied.

"Not holding your interest?"

"You know, sometimes I have to wonder if I'm just losing my mind."

"Uh, okay," Sam said, momentarily puzzled.

"One minute we seem to have this amazing connection, the next he's pushing me away as if his life depended on it."

"He's been through a lot," Sam said, catching on.

"I know. He told me about his wife."

"I'm not just talking about Sha're," Sam replied. "I honestly think the only lasting relationships he's had his entire life have been with the other members of SG-1. Us."

"So you're saying he has commitment issues?," Vala asked.

Sam shook her head. "No," she said, certainly. "I think if he found the right person, he'd settle down quickly. The only problem is, he has absolutely no idea what he's actually looking for."

"You'd think with his brain he'd be able to figure it out."

"With his experience, I think he's going to need a little help," Sam replied. "In the meantime...ladies' day in?"

"Will there be chocolate?," Vala asked hopefully.

"Most definitely," Sam replied, grinning.

* * *

"You know, you could have brought breakfast," Daniel grumbled, hacking branches off one of the fallen trees.

"Yeah. Wishing I had," Jack replied, doing the same one tree over.

Teal'c had yet to acknowledge the presence of either one of them, working some fifty yards away. His motions were growing less erratic and more measured as the morning wore on, but the axe had yet to cease moving long enough for anyone to speak.

Jack and Daniel had grown tired of waiting, and had opted to clear some of the debris instead.

"At least you shouldn't have to worry about firewood this winter," Daniel sighed, removing more foliage.

Jack considered the current level of destruction around them, as well as the Jaffa's continued blows against nature. "Shouldn't have to worry about firewood for _several_ winters," Jack corrected, hacking another branch from the tree.

"Maybe we should sneak back for some lunch?" Daniel tried.

"Don't even think about it, Daniel," Jack growled. "You're not going back until you've worked things out."

"I feel fine," Daniel countered.

"Bull," Jack snorted.

"Jack. I know I lost my temper yesterday, but really, I feel _fine_," he pressed.

"It's called Denial, Daniel."

"What do you think I'm in denial about?," he demanded.

"Don't know," Jack said, hacking another branch. "Something."

"I've come to terms with every loss. I've done my grieving," he insisted.

"Then maybe it's something else," Jack tried. "Sam seems to think you've been off since your second ascension."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't allowed to keep my memories from that period," he retorted, "so if it's something subconscious, it's just going to have to stay that way."

"You've tapped into the memories before," Jack observed.

"With the help of Goa'uld technology," Daniel pointed out.

"Still, it's been done."

"Jack, I don't feel any different."

"Well, you're acting different."

"Am not."

"Are."

"Jack!"

"Daniel."

"You can't hold me hostage out here forever."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"So I can go back?"

"No."

"What do you want me to do!?," Daniel exclaimed, dropping his axe to glare at the other man.

"Think, Daniel. It's what you do best."

"I've _been_ thinking, Jack. And I don't think I'm going to have some sort of life altering revelation out here!"

"Suit yourself, Daniel."

"What, that's it?"

"Yep."

"So what's the point of all this?"

Jack stopped what he was doing to level Daniel with his best General stare. "I'm trying to help a friend."

"What if I don't want help?"

"Who said I was talking about you?"

* * *

"So, what do you think the boys are doing without us?," Vala asked, genuinely curious. Sam shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine. As far as I know, Daniel is supposed to work things out on his own. I have no idea where Jack and Teal'c got off to."

"Well, they couldn't have gone far. The vehicles are all still here," Vala noted.

"Should you really be worrying about them right now?," Sam asked. "This is supposed to be _our_ day."

"Yes, but those three have a penchant for trouble, and if we're going to have to go save them, I'd like to know what from."

Sam chuckled. "What's the number one rule, Vala?"

"No work," Vala replied. "But..."

"But nothing. If they get themselves into trouble, they can get themselves back out again. We're here to relax."

"You make it sound so easy," Vala grumbled. Sam tossed more chocolate her way.

"If it makes you feel any better, Jack probably dragged Teal'c out fishing on the other side of the pond. There's a nice spot, right along the trail. Now, cheer up, or I'll send you to join them."

"I'm cheered," Vala answered quickly. "See?," she said, flashing Sam a toothy grin. Sam just laughed.

* * *

Teal'c was really starting to slow down now. Jack and Daniel were almost starting to catch up, piles of discarded brush and neatly stacked wood in their wake. Jack leaned on his axe, taking a breather. Afternoon was coming on, and none of them had had anything to eat or drink yet that day. Exhaustion and the basic needs of life were beginning to creep up on him.

Teal'c dropped his axe, leaning heavily against a miraculously still standing tree.

Daniel froze, watching.

Jack took a tentative step forward, then another. Teal'c leaned his head against the trunk, aware of Jack's approach but not moving. He stepped up beside his friend, clapping a hand to his shoulder. Teal'c tensed, but didn't pull away.

"Thank you," Jack said into the suddenly deafening silence. It was all he'd come up with all day. The more he'd thought about it, the more nothing else seemed to come close to the truth of the relief he secretly felt, knowing that Sam hadn't been alone all those years. Even if it wasn't really his Sam, anymore.

"What for?," Teal'c asked hoarsely, glancing up.

"For doing what I wasn't there to do," he tried to explain. "For being what Sam needed you to be. Thank you," he said again.

Teal'c pressed his head into the tree once more, shutting his eyes. "You are mistaken, O'Neill. I was unable to provide that which you offer so easily."

"And what would that be?," he asked, frowning.

"Laughter. Happiness."

Jack squeezed his shoulder. "You were there for her," he reminded gently. "Sometimes, that's enough."

"I dissuaded Colonel Mitchell from pursuing a relationship," he confessed, still not meeting Jack's eye. Jack's brows shot up in surprise, but he didn't say a word. "It would have been more prudent to allow Mitchell to pursue her," Teal'c continued morosely.

"Why's that?," Jack asked.

"Perhaps he could have provided what I could not."

"Don't bet on it," Jack countered. "Sam is a very determined woman. If she wanted to be alone...I don't think Mitchell would have had any more success with her than you did. Probably less. You did the right thing, Teal'c. You offered what she was willing to accept."

Teal'c at last raised his head. "Why do you offer your forgiveness so freely?," he asked, pain raw in his eyes. "I did not do the same, in your position."

It took Jack a moment to remember that particular trip to Chulak, when they had found Teal'c's wife remarried to his best friend.

"You'd only been gone a couple of years, Teal'c, and it hadn't been entirely without contact. I would've been pissed too. But we're talking about _fifty years_, here, without _any_ sort of closure... I meant what I said the other night. I wouldn't want her to be alone forever."

"You are as a brother to me, O'Neill. I had no right..."

"You had every right," Jack interrupted. "You were acting as her friend. And mine. There's nothing to forgive, because you did _nothing_ wrong."

"I loved her," he confessed, bracing himself.

"I know," Jack replied steadily, holding his gaze.

An understanding seemed to pass between them then. Two men. Two lifetimes. This wouldn't come between them.


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, So I've basically rewritten this chapter from start to finish in the past couple of days, trying to get it to sound right. If it's kind of screwy, please let me know, and I will try again. For now, I sincerely hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Sam and Vala were curled on the couch with _Dirty Dancing _in the background, plates of chicken and dumplings perched on their knees and a pan of fresh brownies set within easy reach. A bottle of wine had been opened in honour of their first real vacation in what felt like forever, and they were peacefully enjoying the afternoon when the door swung open and Jack came in.

"Hey," Sam called from her position on the couch. "Where've you been?" Then, "Where's Teal'c?," she added belatedly, noticing that the large man remained conspicuously absent.

"I knew you were worried," Vala accused smugly.

"Hey," Jack replied, turning into the room. "What smells so good?,"

"Jack!," Sam admonished as he snuck a bite.

"Out in the woods," he answered distractedly, plucking the fork from her hands for another taste. "Teal'c's still there. Is there more where this came from?," he asked, pointing to Sam's rapidly clearing plate.

"Tons," Sam replied, frowning.

"This is really good," Jack said, shoveling more of into his mouth. He took the plate off her lap, eating as fast as he could.

"Yeah. Leave some for me," Sam complained.

"Mmm. Vala, you'll have to give us your recipe," Jack said between mouthfuls. "This is amazing." Vala glanced at Sam in amusement. Sam kicked him in the shin.

"I _can_ cook, you know," she retorted.

Jack glanced up, startled. "I never said you couldn't," he countered, wounded.

She shot him a pointed look.

"_You_ made this?," he asked, surprised.

"Yes!"

"Huh," he replied, glancing thoughtfully between the plate and his wife. "Who'd've thought."

Before she could react, he leaned forward, planting a loud, wet kiss on her cheek. . "Couldn't have done better myself."

"Don't you have friends to feed?," she asked, growing annoyed.

"Ah, yes," he replied. "Friends. Food." He went out into the kitchen, grabbing the entire baking dish off the top of the stove.

"Mind leaving some for me?," she asked pointedly. "Since you ate all my first serving," she added for emphasis. He glanced sheepishly from Sam to the casserole, returning to the kitchen to serve up a fresh plate.

"Grab some forks too," she reminded.

Jack re-emerged from the kitchen, the casserole in one hand and a fresh plate of food for her in the other. She accepted the plate graciously, setting it on the coffee table beside the pan of brownies. Jack's eyes roamed over to the dessert.

"Don't even think about it," Sam warned, shoving him back towards the door.

"Have I told you lately that I love you?," he tried. Sam opened the front door for him.

"I love you too, Jack," she replied, giving him a quick kiss before pushing him outside. "But don't touch my chocolate," she added seriously. Then she shut the door in his very surprised face.

"You know, I'm really beginning to think this marriage thing is completely overrated," Vala commented from the couch.

"I don't know. His apologies are usually pretty decent," Sam said with a smirk.

* * *

Daniel poked at the dying embers of their campfire, contemplating the day's events and Jack's words. He was still no closer to knowing what it was he should be working out.

Sam and Jack both thought it had something to do with his ascension.

So much had happened in that time, or shortly thereafter.

Abydos had been destroyed.

The Goa'uld had been defeated.

SG-1 had gone their separate ways.

He remembered coming back. He remembered feeling grateful for having another chance.

Things were going really well, for a while.

But two of his best friends were certain the answer was somewhere in there.

He'd mourned his former home.

He'd celebrated the defeat of humanity's long-time enemy.

He could remember being excited to embark on something new.

And then had come Vala.

When Vala showed up, everything went wrong.

He was held back from Atlantis.

They'd met the Ori.

Another war had begun.

And while realistically he understood that she could not be held responsible for all the ills that had befallen the galaxy since her appearance in the briefing room two years before, he also couldn't help but feel that she really did bring out the absolute worst in him.

"What is on your mind, Daniel Jackson?," Teal'c inquired softly, startling the younger man from his thoughts.

"What? Oh. I don't know. Just following Jack's advice, I guess."

Teal'c cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him. Daniel smiled wanly.

"He told me to think."

"I see. And what have you discovered thus far?"

"Not much," Daniel admitted. "It's like I just keep going around in circles, coming back to the same wrong answer every time."

"Indeed?"

Daniel sighed. "Sam and Jack think I started to change after I ascended for the second time. But I remember coming back. I was relieved to have another chance. I was glad to be alive. Then came Vala," he said, dropping his gesticulating hands in defeat.

"You believe Vala Mal Doran to be the source of your disquietude?"

"No," Daniel said, shaking his head. "That's the problem. As crazy as she makes me, thinking of her doesn't give me any sudden urge to take out a forest. No offence."

"None taken."

"There's something I'm missing."

"Perhaps you should attempt another meditation," Teal'c suggested. "There are fewer distractions out here."

"Maybe," Daniel replied doubtfully, dreading another attempt. "Or maybe I should just sleep on it," he said, rising to his feet. " 'Night, Teal'c."

"Goodnight, Daniel Jackson."

* * *

Vala fingered the book absently. It was one of Daniel's, one of those Greek tragedies the Tau'ri seemed to love so much. At least, they insisted on naming all their ships after them. She flipped it over in her hands, examining the worn cover, the gold-leaf printing on the spine.

It was a beautiful book.

Daniel would be furious if he knew she had it here. Not that he generally seemed to mind when she borrowed his books. It was more that he got a little testy when she forgot to tell him in advance when she did.

And she had definitely forgotten to tell him about this one.

It was a rare edition, one of those books he'd rather not have people handle too often.

It was worth almost nothing, except to it's owner.

Vala had checked, for curiosity's sake.

She turned it over again, flipping it open. It was alarmingly free of all the hastily scrawled notations she had come to know and love. There was no underlining, no marked pages, no marks of any kind. It was perfectly preserved.

That was why she had wanted to read it.

Daniel typically left himself notes and reminders everywhere. This book had to be special, to deserve such reverential treatment.

She thumbed through the pages, the familiar words, careful not to disturb the volume's carefully preserved perfection.

It was, ironically, the namesake for the ship on which they had met. The story of Prometheus.

She sometimes liked to believe he kept it so perfectly unmarred because of her.

Unfortunately, she now knew better.

It was a meaningful story for the people of the SGC. The consequences of playing with things above your natural level of understanding... It was his life, in a nutshell.

She read over her favourite passages, imagining him doing the same. Her finger trailed over the words, reverently, almost lovingly...

It was almost like being with him. Only the insight it offered remained static to the ravages of time. Daniel, on the other hand...

Shutting the book with a firm snap, Vala sat up in bed, reaching for one of her magazines. Tearing a page from it's centre, she carefully wrote out a note for him, tucking it beneath the front cover for him to find. Then, as quietly as she could, she crept out of bed, dressing quickly and heading for the front door.

The sun was not up yet, and Sam and Jack were still silent in their room. Slipping outside, Vala found her way to the main road, carefully creeping along until she came to the trail she had heard so much about. The embers of a small campfire still glowed softly outside the tent, making it easier to find his location. Not wishing to wake either man inside, Vala carefully slid the zipper aside just enough to set her parcel at their feet, sliding it closed again just as softly once the deed was done.

At least she wouldn't have to face his irritation this time around. He could take it out on the woods instead. That was the point of all this, after all, wasn't it?

Sidling away from the campsite, Vala made the silent trek back up to the cabin, happily congratulating herself for the plan.

Some days, it paid to be one of the galaxy's greatest thieves.

* * *

Fire consumed her, and he was powerless to help. Strong arms held firm, keeping him in place. He couldn't reach her.

"Daniel!," she shrieked. And then she was gone.

Daniel woke with a start, heart pounding, body drenched in sweat. It took a moment to remember where he was. That she was safe.

Flopping back down, he closed his eyes, thankful to be light years away from that altar. The blind terror was nearly as fresh as it'd been the day he'd watched her die.

It had been a long time since he'd been that afraid of anything.

"Are you ill?," Teal'c asked sleepily from the other side of the tent.

"No," Daniel gasped. "Just a bad dream."

"I see," Teal'c said, pushing himself up to study his friend. Daniel was still trembling, sweat pouring off him. "Do you wish to discuss it?"

"There's not much to discuss," Daniel replied shakily, scrubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes.

"I have known you a great many years, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c reminded. "Never before have I seen you wake so distraught."

Daniel concentrated on his breathing, trying to bring his racing pulse back down to normal.

"It's not actually as uncommon as you might think," Daniel confessed.

"Indeed?," Teal'c pressed.

"I have reoccurring nightmares when there's too much on my mind. Sometimes my parents. Sometimes things I've seen since first stepping through the Stargate. Meditating used to help."

Teal'c frowned. "Would it not be of assistance now?," he asked gently.

Daniel chuckled coldly. "I haven't been able to meditate since coming back," he admitted, closing his eyes. Teal'c's frown deepened.

"Could this not be the problem O'Neill wishes you to confront?"

"It's just meditation, Teal'c. No big deal," he replied, shaking his head.

"You should attempt it once more," Teal'c decided.

"Why?"

"So that I may assist you, as I have in the past."

Daniel sighed. He couldn't very well fault that logic, and he was in no way looking forward to facing that particular nightmare again.

"Fine," he grumbled, shifting his cold and protesting body into the cross-legged position. Teal'c did the same.

Daniel shut his eyes, concentrating on his breathing, on opening his mind.

The heavy curtain of consciousness began to lift, the tension still humming through his body lifting with it.

Teal'c's deep voice rumbled in the background, guiding him forward, pointing out his way.

He was closer than he'd been in a long time, drifting free between the conscious and sub-conscious minds.

And then he heard it. The soft shnick of a zipper.

His eyes flew open, searching all around. They came to rest on an old leather-bound volume, one of his own. It hadn't been there a few moments before.

Daniel released muted a string of curses.

"Daniel Jackson. I believe you were nearing success," Teal'c said, bringing him back to the task at hand. "We should continue the attempt."

Daniel spluttered something incoherent, but was silenced by a look from his friend. Teal'c was not going to take no for an answer.

He fingered the book absently as he followed Teal'c's instructions, slipping back into the no man's land of his mind.

Gradually, painstakingly, he inched his way forward, nearing the promised land of his subconscious.

The answer had to be there, somewhere.

And then his fingers stilled against the little book he still held, his head reeling sickeningly as he catapulted back into the conscious world.

He looked down. Prometheus Bound.

Frowning, he fingered through the text, scanning the familiar passages to be sure.

It was in the original Greek.

"Excuse me," he said, distractedly making his way from the tent. Teal'c followed, warily keeping his distance as they walked the familiar path back to the cabin.

* * *

Vala was just about to unlatch the door when she heard them approach.

Silently cursing, she ducked around the side of the cabin, hiding in the shadows of the back porch.

"Vala!," he called, running now. She could hear his feet pounding into the gravel, feel his irritation emanating in waves.

So much for her brilliant plan.

"Vala!," he called again, looking all around.

There was really no use hiding. It would only serve to draw a larger audience, once he woke the others.

She crept out of the shadows, bracing herself for the confrontation.

He waved the book at her. "This is in Greek." It was almost an accusation.

"Daniel, have you completely lost your mind?," she countered. He wasn't even dressed, she noted, immediately dismissing any less-than-angry thoughts that may have popped into her head at that realization.

"I don't know. You tell me," he demanded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The book, Vala. The book. It's in Greek."

"I know, Daniel. But thank you for the lesson."

"You can't read Greek."

Now she was really confused. "What are you talking about, Daniel?"

"Ancient Greek. This book. Why take it, if you couldn't read it?"

"Who says I couldn't read it?"

"You're not a linguist!"

"No, but I was host to a Goa'uld," she snapped.

By this time, Teal'c had reached them, maintaining a respectable distance. Vala was glad for the witness to this insanity.

"You don't seriously believe I sat idle all those years while she picked through my brain, without ever returning the favour, do you?," she demanded, suddenly very angry. "I wasn't some puppet to be used, Daniel! I had a plan. And I was nearly ready to execute it when the Tok'ra stepped in and messed everything up!"

Daniel was obviously taken aback. "What was the plan?," he asked suspiciously after a moment.

"I was going to turn the tables on her," she snarled. "I had all the information I needed. And I was growing stronger everyday. It was only a matter of time..."

"The host is repressed," he said, shaking his head.

"I'm not your average host," she retorted, glaring angrily at him.

"That still doesn't explain the Greek," he countered dismissively.

"Don't be ridiculous, Daniel. Most of your precious languages are nothing more than obscure Goa'uld dialects. I know them all."

His eyes widened noticeably at that piece of information. Served him right, for always underestimating her. She could best him any day.

"Why didn't you ever say?," he asked at last.

"What difference would it have made?," she demanded. Then realization dawned. "You would have liked me better," she said, disgust lacing her voice.

Daniel looked down at his feet, as much as admitting his guilt.

"Well, that's too bad, Daniel," Vala said, lifting her chin. "Because I'm really, _really_ not interested anymore."

And with that, she turned on her heel and stormed inside.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I should apologize now if it takes me a few days to respond to reviews...I really do appreciate each and every one, I'm just a little swamped in proofreading/rewrites, trying to get this story up...I will respond, it just may take a while!

Thank you for all the reviews so far, and keep letting me know what you think!

* * *

"Do you think we should go out there and referee?," Jack asked, staring up at the ceiling as the rising voices wafted through the thinly insulated walls.

"I think Vala's holding her own," Sam said, wincing as some of the actual words reached their ears.

Jack groaned. "I really should go deal with him."

Sam glanced over, noticing the strain around his mouth and eyes. "You're taking this pretty personally," she noted, returning her gaze to the ceiling.

"I've known Daniel a long time," Jack defended.

"I know. But this is different," she said, glancing over once more. Silence.

At last, Jack sighed. "You remember how he was, in the beginning?," he asked, already knowing the answer. Beside him, Sam grinned.

"Oh, yeah," she said, remembering the sense of wonder and enthusiasm radiating off the young archaeologist their first few years together.

"He was just a kid," Jack said, shaking his head wistfully.

Sam chuckled softly. There had been something inherently innocent about him, despite everything he'd already seen by that point...

"You know, it's funny," Jack said. "After Charlie..." He shook his head. "Keeping Daniel out of trouble...It was almost like having a second chance."

Sam turned to him, startled. "I had no idea...," she breathed, wanting to reach out and knowing it was the wrong time.

Jack snorted. "I'd never live it down if he ever found out," he replied, his usual self-deprecation rising to the fore. "But right now, it really sounds like he could use a good smack upside the head."

Sam shifted closer, pressing a tender kiss into his roughened cheek. "Go," she said, wincing slightly as Vala stormed back into the cabin. "I'll take care of Vala."

* * *

Daniel was still standing outside when Jack came out the door.

"What part of 'you're not coming back until you've worked things out' did you not understand?," he called, making his way toward the younger man.

"She came to me," Daniel corrected, snapping out of his perplexed daze.

"Uh-huh. And you decided to follow her all the way back here because..."

"She can read ancient languages," Daniel stated accusingly.

"We heard," Jack replied sarcastically. "That still doesn't explain what you were thinking?"

"It's a rare edition. I thought she'd taken it to sell, only to find that it's completely worthless," Daniel confessed. Jack stared at him incredulously. Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"Has Vala Mal Doran not proven herself more trustworthy, Daniel Jackson?," Teal'c asked.

"Professionally, yes," Daniel admitted. "But personally...," he trailed, frowning. "She still lies, cheats and steals to get her way all the time."

"Come to Washington, Daniel. I'll show you the liars, cheaters, and thieves of the universe," Jack replied. "Now move," he said, giving Daniel a little shove to get him going. "You've got work to do."

* * *

Vala was seething when Sam came to find her.

"Do you want to talk?," Sam asked, quietly observing her friend's agitation.

"No."

Sam gave her a few moments to reconsider as she paced the length of the cabin. Silence. "Do you want to go a few rounds?," she asked instead.

"Not with you," Vala growled.

"Last I heard, you and Daniel were fairly evenly matched."

"I still got away, in the end."

"True," Sam conceded. "But is that all you'd want, this time? A narrow escape?"

"No," Vala confessed, still pacing.

"That's what I thought," Sam said with a tiny nod. "So, why don't we talk, and if you still want to beat him to a pulp afterwards, I'll help."

"Why?," Vala demanded suspiciously.

Sam shrugged. "We've all been guilty of underestimating you, at one time or another," she admitted sheepishly. "But Daniel really is the worst," she added, shaking her head.

"I've been borrowing his books for_ two years_," Vala fumed. "And he _never once_ noticed that all of them were in their original language?"

"None of us did," Sam defended. "I didn't even realize you spent so much of your time reading, until you told me last month."

"That's not the point," Vala argued. "He never notices _anything_ about me. He never doubts the capabilities of any other member of the team, but when it comes to me, doubt is all he ever does.

"Vala...,"

"Samantha. When you're not there and something breaks, who do they turn to? Me. Only instead of the faith they so confidently place in you, I get nothing but cheap shots and uncertainty. As if I couldn't possibly know anything for real, I just happen to be the only person willing to try!"

"Vala," Sam tried again.

"No! I'm done with being seen as the inter-galactic screw-up of the team! I've pulled us out of as many binds as anyone else by now. What is it going to take for you people to believe that I can be useful?," she demanded.

"You're a valuable member of the team," Sam put in, before Vala could muster enough breath for another round. "And I, for one, have come to respect you a great deal." Vala's face softened a moment at those words, but she wasn't done.

"I have the knowledge of the Goa'uld, same as Teal'c," Vala vented. "Why can't the others respect that as well?"

Sam sighed. "Honestly, I think they forget sometimes that just because we're no longer dealing with the Goa'uld, it doesn't mean their knowledge can't still be useful. And for what it's worth, I think we're all grateful for your skills at blending in on the Lucian planets, and for your creativity in devising escapes. They respect you more than you think."

"Including Daniel?," she asked, a hard edge to her voice.

"Including Daniel," Sam affirmed, nodding.

"He certainly has an odd way of showing it."

Sam sighed. "I wish I had the answer to all this, but I really don't," she said, shaking her head. "He does respect you, though. I've seen it."

"When?," Vala challenged.

"When you sacrificed yourself to save us. To save the galaxy," Sam recalled. "When you came back with your memory wiped," she listed. "Both times, actually," she amended a moment later.

"It's not enough," Vala determined.

"Let me ask you this, then: Do you respect _him_?," Sam asked, crossing her arms.

"What?"

"Do you respect Daniel?"

"Of course I do!"

"How often do you show it?," Sam pressed, before Vala could add more.

Vala snapped her mouth shut, freezing in her tracks.

"That's what I thought," Sam said. "Try lowering your guard every now and then. It might help open the channels of communication."

Vala could only glower at that.

* * *

"You're not seriously angry with me, are you?," Daniel asked, as Jack marched him back towards the tent.

"It's four-thirty in the morning. On my _vacation_. And you just snuck back to the cabin to pick a fight with your girlfriend. I'm a little miffed," Jack replied.

"She's not my girlfriend," Daniel corrected. "And I didn't sneak back to pick a fight. I just wanted to hear the truth."

"Which truth, Daniel? As I recall, you have a few of your own to figure out."

Daniel ignored him. "Do you think she was serious? When she said she was on the brink of taking control of Qetesh?"

"Sounded pretty serious to me," Jack growled.

"Indeed," Teal'c replied, walking beside them.

"Is that possible?," Daniel asked, looking to Teal'c.

"I have never before heard of such a thing," Teal'c admitted. "Yet I would not question the tenacity of Vala Mal Doran."

Daniel thought about that a moment, then sighed. "She does seem the type, doesn't she?," he asked no one in particular. "I mean, the things she gets herself into...and back out of..."

"Yes," Jack shot sarcastically. "Your children will be superheroes."

Daniel scowled. "Jack, for the last time, there will be no children, because there is no _us_!"

"I believe O'Neill is correct," Teal'c said, ignoring Daniel. "Your progeny would be most interesting to meet."

Jack snorted. Daniel glared at them both.

"Whose side are you on, anyway?," he snapped peevishly, marching double time back to his tent.

* * *

Teal'c allowed himself to lag behind as Daniel stomped off, motioning for O'Neill to do the same.

"What is it, T?," Jack asked, picking up on the other man's intent.

"I believe the information we seek will be discovered through meditation," he said, casting a quick glance toward Daniel to make certain he hadn't heard. He kept marching, oblivious to the growing distance between them.

"What makes you say that?," Jack asked, with a frown. He'd never been big on the whole meditation-as-a-means-to-enlightenment thing Daniel seemed to enjoy so much.

"Daniel Jackson has been unable to achieve a successful meditative state since his last Ascension," Teal'c explained.

Jack's frown deepened. "That does seem a little..._odd_."

"Indeed," Teal'c murmured.

"All right," Jack said nodding. "Do what you need to do with him. I'll...go chop wood," he added, gesturing toward the forest.

Teal'c inclined his head in assent.

* * *

Vala was sulking.

Undignified though it may appear, she had locked herself in her room to brood. Samantha, by the sounds of it, had given up and gone back to bed.

Vala hated to be wrong, and while it didn't happen often, it was enough to send her scurrying for cover every time.

This time was no different. Sam believed Daniel was keeping her at arm's length because she'd kept him at arm's length.

Though, really, how many other people would have guessed?

She'd been hurt enough in her life to know better than to trust openly. In all things, it was always best to assess the situation first, then determine if the other party could be trusted.

Daniel was no exception.

She'd been intrigued by him onboard the Prometheus.

She'd grown genuinely interested following their joint venture with Merlin's treasure.

And she'd found herself growing increasingly attached to him during their time among the Ori. Not that he'd been anything special to look at, in that galaxy.

But she'd never managed to break through his barriers.

He was closed to her, and nothing she did, nothing she said, was ever enough to get him to open up.

She wanted to know him. Really know him. But he wouldn't let her.

And according to Sam, it was entirely her own fault. Because truthfully, she'd never really let him know her, either.

Vala sighed disconsolately. She was still angry with him, but now she was also angry with herself.

It was not a position she ever enjoyed finding herself in.

Curling up on her bed, she hugged her pillow. It was too late anyway, wasn't it?

He'd already made his feelings abundantly clear, and she'd renounced him just as surely.

So why did she feel like a piece of her was still out in those woods with him?

* * *

Daniel's punishment was, apparently, to be another meditation.

Reluctantly, he settled in, following Teal'c's low, rumbling voice through the stages of consciousness, until he was once again hovering just within reach of his own subconscious mind. Teal'c held him there for what felt like an eternity, giving him ample opportunity to adjust to the state.

At last, he was eased forward, pushing into the unknown recesses of human awareness.

There was nothing to see. Years after learning to meditate, he'd been able to conjure vague images to help explain the shifts in emotion, awareness. But now, two years out of practice and embittered by time, there was nothing to guide him.

Nothing but the dark chaos of his mind.

He reached out and began to trace the familiar: the grief he still held for his parents; the unconditional bonds he'd formed with his friends. He found his love for Sha're, and the subsequent pain for her loss. The resentment he'd had toward his estranged grandfather, and the closure they'd both received, finally understanding each others' work.

On and on it went. Love. Loss. Determination. Hope. Guilt. Fear. Everything that made him who he was, who he'd always been. Shunned humiliation among his colleagues. Pride in his work since joining the SGC. There were few surprises; he'd been here before.

The loss of Abydos loomed large and painful, filling him with a sense of regret and remorse he knew all too well. It had been a constant torment in the months following his return to human form, knowing they'd all died because of him. Because he'd led Anubis to their world, and tried to make a deal with the devil himself.

These days, he had taken up one of Jack's earliest mantras: he could never entirely forgive himself, but sometimes he could forget.

Weathering the memory of Abydos, Daniel pushed on, sifting through everything he'd ever known, ever felt, ever dreamed.

He saw himself changing, in a way he'd never noticed before. Losing his enthusiasm, his trust. The belief that people were inherently good.

It was no wonder his friends were growing so concerned. Even he was concerned, confronting the facts of his life. Confronting himself.

But it was the events of the past two years which truly chilled him. The fear and guilt and shame that seemed to grow exponentially the longer he fought the Ori.

Vala screaming his name, flames charring her skin as he was held helpless to save her.

The deaths of Harrid and Sallis, blood on his hands he'd rather never have known.

The countless planets that had been turned to Origin since the invasion of their galaxy.

The countless others which had been outright destroyed.

He had a part in it all, and felt the burden keenly.

Yet beneath it all, he could sense a deeper, more encompassing awareness. It was most definitely new, and terrifyingly strong. An underlying thrum to the story of his life.

Shoving against the last of the barriers, Daniel was surprised to find not emotion or memory, but knowledge.

Anubis, locked in eternal battle with Oma.

The Ori, forever at war with the Ancients.

The dark of the universe becoming one with him.

He'd been a part of that, too. The hypocrisy. The futility. He'd never made a difference; he'd only ever been a pawn.

Oma had meant well, he knew. She always did. It was not in her nature to cause harm.

But the things he'd come to understand as an Ascended being...

They were no better than anyone else. They fought wars, same as the lower planes of life. They held grudges. They meted out justice, or what passed for justice, in a strictly black or white existence.

Enlightenment was nothing more than an illusion.

They'd been willing to sit back while Anubis destroyed all life in the galaxy, just to save face. To hold true to their principal of non-interference.

It was the parent who watched their child drown, never attempting to reach down and save it before it was too late.

Daniel despised them.

As much as he'd hated the Goa'uld, or feared the Replicators...he'd rather deal with them a thousand times over than deal with the unmitigated hypocrisy that was Ascension.

He'd never do it again, even given the chance.

And he'd never be given the chance, because they knew, they _knew_ that he'd bring them down just as surely as he'd helped bring down the Goa'uld.

They'd lied to him. There was no life after death. Only apathy. Impotent, _cowardly_ apathy.

It had shattered his faith.

Spiraling, Daniel collapsed through waves of rage and soul-wrenching disappointment, disappointment in himself, in the Ancients, in the universe at large, until he fell, at last, in an inglorious heap at Teal'c's feet.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thanks to my very dear friend and sounding board for listening to me rant and rail against this chapter. I'm taking your advice. Some things simply cannot be tied up in a neat little bow. Hopefully, others will agree.

* * *

Something smelled funny.

Groggily uncurling herself from around her pillow, Vala sniffed the air uncertainly, dimly aware that she must have dozed off at some point during her wallowing. Daylight now streamed in through the window, warm and bright, adding a soft, soothing glow to the room.

But something was definitely off.

Grudgingly rising to her feet, she cracked the door open, peeking gingerly outside. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, but the smell was _much_ worse out there. Grimacing, she pulled the door open wide enough to slip through, holding her breath as she squeezed out into the hall. Shutting the door behind her, she made her way through the cabin, quickly finding Sam working in the kitchen.

A vast array of odd looking tools and what appeared to be deceased appliances lay spread out before her. Vala released the breath she'd been holding, gagging on the smell.

"What's all this?," she croaked, curiosity outweighing the inevitable reluctance to face anyone after the morning's events. Sam touched another drop of solder to whatever it was she was doing before glancing up.

"Hey," Sam smiled. "Just a little pet project. I've been meaning to do this for ages, but have never found the time. Want to help?"

"What is it?," Vala asked, gazing doubtfully at the odd assortment of parts littering every available surface. "And what's that smell?"

"Sorry about that," Sam apologized. "My first attempt went up in smoke." She dabbed another drop of solder into place, connecting two small pieces to a metal sheet. "And it's a noise cancellation device," Sam replied, grabbing an old clock radio to disembowel.

"I see," Vala said, avoiding the remains of a what appeared to be a toaster on her way over to take a closer look. "How does it work?"

"Well, in theory, it'll create a stable static field around a person, or people, preventing any noise from coming in, or going out."

Vala smirked. "A soundproof bubble?," she asked, eyes twinkling. "Naughty."

Sam blushed. "Actually, I was making it for Daniel," she replied. Vala's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "This isn't the first visit where he's had trouble meditating. I thought it might help," Sam explained with a tiny shrug.

"Well. That's very thoughtful," Vala replied, gingerly clearing a seat to join her. "And who knows? Maybe he'll lend it to you, for non-meditative purposes," she teased. Sam blushed once more. "So, what can I do to help?," Vala asked.

"See that old laptop over there?" Vala nodded. "Start disassembling. We'll need a few pieces," Sam said, her voice laced with the excitement of a kid in a candy shop. Vala could only grin. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad, after all.

* * *

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c called, leaning over his friend. "Are you well?"

Daniel blinked, sluggishly clearing his vision. "Teal'c," he croaked, clumsily rolling over.

"Indeed," Teal'c replied, breathing a soft sigh of relief. "What has transpired?"

Daniel scrubbed at his face, head pounding as he tried to find the words to explain. "It worked," he said shortly.

"What did you see?," Teal'c pressed.

"Not much," Daniel confessed. "It was more feeling, like it was in the beginning."

"Were you able to learn anything of use?," Teal'c inquired.

"Ah, apparently I've turned into Jack," Daniel answered sarcastically, wincing at the sound of his own voice.

"Indeed?"

"Oh, and I've lost faith in anything good in the universe," he quipped, trying to sit up. "Got any Advil?," he groaned, flopping back down instead.

"I do not," Teal'c replied.

"That's too bad," Daniel sighed, shutting his eyes against the pain. His head _really_ hurt.

"Daniel Jackson. If I am to be of assistance, you must relate more of what you saw."

"Same as always," Daniel groaned. "My parents' deaths. Sha're. Abydos. Everyone I've ever loved, _dead_."

"Your friends are alive," Teal'c reminded.

"For now."

Teal'c frowned. "What else did you experience?," he pressed, ignoring the comment.

"The Ori. The Ancients. All their pompous and arrogant lies," Daniel gritted bitterly. "You know. Enlightenment as a means to Ascension. Ascension as a higher evolutionary step."

"I do not understand."

"They're no better than we are," Daniel accused. "Lying, hypocritical cowards."

"They have given you life, when you would have died," Teal'c reminded.

"And for that I've gained, what, exactly? The privilege of watching more innocent people die, in the name of a war_ they _started _millennia_ ago?"

"The Ancients have _sheltered_ this galaxy for those millennia," Teal'c countered.

"They should have let Merlin finish his research," Daniel argued. "This _never_ should have happened."

"They allowed you to complete his research," Teal'c pointed out. "The Ori have been destroyed."

Daniel snorted. "And replaced by the _Orici_," he replied. "_Nothing_ has changed. They must have known that would happen," he muttered darkly.

"I do not believe it is their intent to lose this war," Teal'c supplied. "They have assisted us on numerous occasions."

"Teal'c, these are the same people who would have stood by and watched all life in this galaxy be _wiped from existence_ rather than help us 'lower' beings," Daniel spat. "They've condemned one of their own to an _eternity_ of struggle rather than step in and solve the problem, once and for all. They have the power to stop this invasion in its tracks. They simply choose not to."

"They are beings of great power, Daniel Jackson, but they are not gods. It is not their place to interfere with our plane of existence."

"How can you side with them?"

"I have sided with no one. I believe there is such as thing as true enlightenment, Daniel Jackson, whether the Ancients have achieved it or not."

"Yeah, well, I'm not so sure, anymore," Daniel replied, grimacing.

Teal'c nodded his understanding. "I will return with some Advil," he replied, rising to his feet. Daniel was asleep almost as soon as he was out the door.

* * *

Teal'c found himself in the doorway to the kitchen, bottle of Advil already in hand, before anyone even noticed his arrival.

"Teal'c!," Sam said, beaming. "You're just in time."

"In time for what, Colonel Carter?," he asked, studying the disaster around them.

"Stay there." She flipped a switch. He felt a small jolt of electricity in the air, then nothing.

Before him, he could see Samantha's lips move, yet no sound emerged. Teal'c grinned at the memory.

_"Oh! Teal'c. Stay right there."_

_Teal'c remained where he was, hovering just outside the door to Colonel Carter's lab. A jolt of electricity hummed through the air, raising the hair on his skin. Nothing else appeared to change._

_"Colonel Carter?," Teal'c asked uncertainly, taking a step forward. A large shock warned him back. Inside her lab, Sam grinned delightedly, saying something he could not hear while gesticulating wildly. Then the hum was gone._

_"It works!," she said, motioning him inside._

_"What is the purpose of this device?," he asked, curiously studying the piecemeal hunk of technology._

_"It's a noise cancellation device," she announced proudly. "For Daniel and Vala."_

_"I see," he replied, a slight smirk shadowing his features. The couple had become rather...notorious, as of late. "Had I realized your intentions, I would have offered my assistance." She grinned even wider._

_"I'm sure Cam and General Landry would have, too," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief and delight. It was a look he had not seen in many, many months._

_"This has made you happy," he noted._

_Sam chuckled. "It's the first time in months I've worked on something that actually made sense," she declared, running her hands through her lengthening hair. "I hadn't realized just how discouraged I was getting, until I put everything aside to work on this. I actually had fun! When was the last time __**any **__of us had fun?"_

_"I believe Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran have had their fill of enjoyment of late," Teal'c noted dryly. Sam smiled._

_"Well, now they'll be able to have all the fun they want, without keeping the rest of us up at night!," Sam replied, grabbing the device off her desk. "Want to join me? I was thinking I'd bring this over to Daniel's quarters, then hit the mess for some cake."_

_"It is indeed a day to celebrate," Teal'c replied, falling easily into step beside her. _

_She was happy, an almost carefree excitement bubbling off her as they walked along the familiar halls. She beamed up at him._

_A day to celebrate, indeed._

"You have created a noise cancellation device," he observed, an irrepressible grin playing across his face.

"Yes," she replied, her face a mixture of curiosity and surprise. His grin widened.

"I have encountered this technology before," he explained, merriment in his eyes.

"Onboard the Odyssey?," she asked "Why...?"

"Daniel Jackson's nocturnal activities were preventing us from obtaining the required amount of sleep."

Sam blushed. "That's not why I...," she tried to explain, but Vala interrupted.

"Samantha! Tell me you didn't test the device without me!," Vala exclaimed, seeing Teal'c in the room.

Sam bit her lip. "Sorry, Vala. We can test it again, if you'd like."

"Fine," Vala huffed, flouncing back out of the room. Sam switched on the device.

"Can you hear me?," she shouted. Vala grinned, replying something that remained silent to the two occupants of the room. Sam switched the device back off.

"Daniel's going to love it!," Vala squealed. Teal'c raised an eyebrow. Sam shrugged. "Not that I care what Daniel thinks," Vala amended a moment later.

"Mmm-hmm," Sam replied smugly.

"Indeed," Teal'c echoed dryly.

"You know, it's not too late to make a second device. I think we should have everything we need," Vala observed slyly, shooting a baleful glance at her friend. Sam blushed once more.

"I will leave you to your work," Teal'c replied, deciding it best to bow out before anything more could be said.

_They sat alone in the mess, plates of cake set before them. Colonel Carter still chuckled over the embarrassment and surprise with which her gift had been met, moving a forkful of cake purposefully into her mouth._

_ Daniel Jackson's reaction had been nothing short of comical, a deep red blush spreading from his hairline down the length of his throat, his response stuttered and incoherent. It would be the talk of the ship for many days to come._

_"I believe you have truly outdone yourself, Colonel Carter," he said, soaking in every chuckle, every radiant smile. It was a relief to see her so relaxed, so happy, once more._

_"Call me Sam," she said, meeting his gaze over another forkful of cake. "I don't feel like much of a Colonel out here anyway," she added, glancing quickly away._

_Teal'c swallowed hard, considering her request. It appeared a simple favour, yet he could never disgrace her with such informality._

_"Samantha," he compromised at last, letting the sound of it warm his heart. Few others referred to her thus. _

_"Samantha," she agreed, beaming once more._

_They savored the remainder of their cake in silence, each one celebrating their own silent victory._

* * *

"How is he?," Jack asked, looking up from his work as Teal'c approached.

"Asleep," Teal'c replied, grabbing another axe to help out.

"And...?"

"I am uncertain," Teal'c admitted. "He appears to have learned much during his meditation, yet it has not provoked the reaction you had anticipated."

"Really?," Jack asked, surprised. "And I was so sure..."

"As were we all," Teal'c assured. "However, Daniel Jackson is an individual of great complexity. It is possible he will continue to bear his burden through unexpected means."

"Yep. Sounds like Daniel," Jack replied sarcastically. "Never could go by the book."

"Indeed," Teal'c replied.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: So so sorry for the delay! Daniel was bringing me down; I had to get out of his head for a few days. Thank you so much to my self-appointed beta for her feedback on this chapter. I've made a few slight changes, and hopefully it works!

Please review!

* * *

Everyone had left him for the day. Alone once more in his tent, Daniel lay sprawled across his sleeping bag, silently contemplating his discoveries.

Most of what he'd learned made sense, in the grand scheme of things. But none of it really helped. He was out here for losing it on Vala. Again. Not for his sense of disillusionment, or for his hardened perspective on life. Those, his friends seemed to accept, for the time being. What concerned them was his inability to function properly in the same space as Vala. Their teammate. Someone with whom they all worked closely, everyday.

Yet he hadn't seen her. He hadn't felt her. Hours of painstaking meditation with Teal'c, and he was no closer to understanding what it was about her that had him walking a razor edge everyday. Or why her death among the Ori still haunted him.

His friends were right. He'd changed. Was still changing. But the only person suffering for it was Vala.

It didn't add up.

Flopping restlessly to his side, Daniel spotted the book. Prometheus Bound. He reached for it, fingers brushing the familiar smooth leather binding, grasping to pull it closer.

He'd known she was borrowing his books, but he'd never guessed, never once _imagined _she was reading them in the original languages. Very few others could do the same. He'd always been unique in that regard, special even among the other specialists kept on base.

He should have known. Teal'c had been using Goa'uld knowledge to help him with translations for years. Why hadn't he thought to ask Vala if she could do the same?

What was it about her that had him wanting to keep her at arms' length, or further, at all times? Teal'c was right. She'd earned their trust, their respect even. She was a valuable member of the team, and a friend, moreover. Yet when he really stopped to think about it, he hardly knew her at all. He'd never once asked her anything about herself, and she'd never divulged anything freely. She was a stranger to him.

Fingering the book, he gently leafed through it once more, this time more slowly. Everything was exactly as he remembered. No dog-eared pages, not a mark inside. Pristine, despite it's age. He traced the familiar words, reread them. The answers weren't there. He shut the book with a snap. A coloured slip of paper shot out from the bottom, hurtling towards him.

He let it sit a moment, wondering how he'd missed it through both perusals, not quite daring to pick it up. At last, he reached out to it, grasping it with unsteady hands. Daniel tried to shake the sense of foreboding, reasoning that she must have been using this as her bookmark. Then his eyes caught the barely discernible writing etched into the swirling colours of the magazine ad, and all other thoughts left his mind.

_I never intended to sell it, if that's what you're thinking. I only wanted to know you better. Your secrets are safe; it told me nothing._

Daniel gaped at the message, reading it over and over.

She'd known exactly what he'd think.

But what about the rest? It seemed almost...disappointed. _Your secrets are safe; it told me nothing. _What secrets? What did she want to know?

Frowning in concentration, he flopped over onto his back, staring up at the tent ceiling. He needed to talk to her. But Jack would never allow it. Not unless Daniel could guarantee he'd been 'cured'.

He didn't think it could wait. Checking his watch, Daniel was surprised to see that it was already one in the morning. Everyone should be asleep.

Coming to a decision, he rose, dressing warmly against the chill night air. He'd sneak back to the cabin and wake Vala. It was the only way to learn more, without incurring the wrath of Jack.

Walking as quietly as he could, he crept toward the cabin and the spare room's window. Vala's window. Grabbing a couple of small pebbles from the ground, he tossed them lightly toward the glass, just enough to create a light 'ping' in the still night air.

Three pebbles later, and Vala was at the window, glaring out at him.

"Daniel," she groaned, pulling the window open so she could talk. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," he answered softly.

"Now? It's the middle of the night!"

"I can't sleep," he confessed.

"I thought the boys were counseling you. Why don't you go wake one of them?"

"Because I don't want to talk to them."

"Daniel," she said, leaning heavily against the window sill. "I'm exhausted. Now is really not a good time."

"I'm sorry I doubted you," he said in a rush.

"What?"

"I'm sorry I doubted you," he repeated.

"I heard you the first time," she replied. "What are you talking about?"

"The book."

"Not this again," she sighed, closing her eyes.

"Vala."

"Mmm?," she groaned.

"Focus."

"So you're sorry you doubted me," she repeated sleepily, waving him on.

"You were right. In the note. I did think you had taken it to sell."

"Figures," she snorted, glaring blearily through the screen.

"I should have known better. I should have realized you'd have the same talent for Goa'uld dialects as Teal'c, if not stronger. I never should have doubted you."

Vala sighed. "You're forgiven, Daniel. Now can I please go back to bed?"

"No."

"No?"

"We really need to talk."

"Can't it wait 'til morning?," she grumbled.

"No. Jack won't let me anywhere near here. It has to be now."

"You know, there is a reason you were sent away."

"Yes, yes, I know," he said, growing impatient. "But there's also a reason I needed to come back."

"Well, what is it, then?," Vala sighed, her own patience wearing thin.

"What did you mean, you 'only wanted to know me better'?" he asked.

She blinked sleepily in reply. "There weren't any notes," she said after a moment. "You always write yourself notes. In every book of yours I've ever read. Some are hard to read, you've added so much of your own text."

"So...?," he prompted.

"So I figured you must value this one more than your other books," she replied. "I was curious to know why."

There was a moment of silence before he replied, "You're right. I do."

She raised her head from the window frame, contemplating his response.

"It was my mother's," he explained after a moment. "One of the few things not sold as part of the estate when my parents died."

Vala stood transfixed.

"It was worthless," he continued. "I found it in the trash while I watched them carry everything else away. I've never let it out of my sight since," he confessed, a sad smile crossing his face.

This was the most she'd ever learned about Daniel's personal life since meeting him. Words failed her.

"Well," he said a few moments later, growing suddenly shy. "It's late. And I just wanted you to know. So...goodnight," he whispered, turning on his heel to melt back into the darkness.

"Daniel!," Vala hissed, finding her voice. But he was already gone.

* * *

_Pink. Pink. Pink._

Jack heard the telltale sound of grit being tossed at a window, then the window itself opening.

"_Daniel_," he growled quietly. But before he could roll out of bed to find out what was going on, Sam's hand was on his arm, stilling him.

"Let them talk," she murmured sleepily, dragging him back down.

"But..."

"No buts, Jack," she warned. "Trust me."

Jack seriously wanted to object again, but knew better. Questioning one's wife was _never _a good idea. Particularly when she was a USAF Lieutenant Colonel. It just wasn't a smart thing to do.

Reluctantly, he lay back down. Sam snuggled into him, a slow smile of satisfaction spreading across her face.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?," he accused, pulling the sheets back over himself.

"I think it's sweet. He's apologizing."

"You're_ eavesdropping_?," Jack asked incredulously.

Sam's smile widened, though her eyes stayed shut. "Shh," she said softly. "He's just getting to the good part."

"You really should get out more," her husband grumbled softly, pulling her closer and wrapping his arms firmly about her waist.

"Yeahsureyoubetcha," she murmured, kissing his chest. As if life could get any better than this.

Jack knew when he was beat.

* * *

Daniel slept soundly the rest of the night, his conscious clear. He'd made the effort. He'd reached out, and admitted he was wrong.

It felt surprisingly good.

"Wakie, wakie, Danny-boy!," Jack called gleefully from his tent door.

Daniel jolted awake, instantly feeling for his glasses and a gun that wasn't there. "_Jack_!" he said, brain catching up with instinct. "What are you doing here?"

"No loafing in bed for you, today," he announced cheerfully. "Get up. Get dressed. We have _work_ to do."

"What work?"

"Brush to clear. Wood to chop. Piles to pile. You know. Work."

"Uh-huh. And does this work come with coffee?"

"Not unless you have some hidden in there with you," Jack replied, pulling out of the tent. "You have three minutes. Then I'm coming in to get you."

Daniel heard him set the timer on his watch. Good lord. He was serious.

Pulling himself together, Daniel rose and dressed quickly, making it outside a solid twenty seconds before Jack's watch beeped.

"It's barely light out," Daniel noted disbelievingly.

"Ah, yes, but there's no time like the present!," Jack called, marching off along the trail.

"For work?," Daniel asked sarcastically, Jack clearly ignoring him as he moved along.

It was going to be a very long day.

* * *

"Hey! Muscles!," Vala hissed, trying to keep her voice low so as not to wake the others. "I need you to do something for me."

"Can it not wait for morning?," Teal'c replied groggily.

"It is morning," Vala retorted. "Somewhere."

Teal'c scowled at her.

"I need you to sneak this to Daniel," she said, handing him a thin sheet of folded paper.

"For what purpose?," he asked, looking dubiously from the note to herself, and back again.

"He'll understand," she replied evasively. "Please?"

"Must I deliver it now?"

"No, no. Whenever you have the chance," she said airily. "Just don't let Sam or Jack find out about it. I don't think they'd approve."

He shot her the Jaffa equivalent of an eye roll, and she grinned.

"Thank you!," she called softly, prancing back to her room.

Teal'c sagged back into the couch. He should have remained in the tent with Daniel Jackson.

* * *

Jack hadn't been kidding about the work. It was afternoon before Jack allowed him to eat and rest a while, and they were back at it until dark.

Daniel's only consolation was that by the end of the day, there was very little left to do. Even Jack would be hard pressed to turn what remained into another day of hard labor. Daniel was silently relieved.

Returning to his tent for their evening meal, Teal'c appeared out of nowhere, stealthily grabbing Daniel as Jack kept on walking.

"What the...," Daniel began to say, but Teal'c silenced him with a quick motion.

"I was instructed to deliver this," he reported in hushed tones, releasing Daniel so he could take the note.

"O-kay...," Daniel drawled softly.

"It is from Vala Mal Doran."

"What's with all the secrecy?," Daniel asked, keeping his voice low as well.

"I believe it is another summons to join her tonight," Teal'c replied. "O'Neill is not to know." And with that, he disappeared back into the woods, moving as swiftly as he'd come.

Daniel stood there gaping. They must all be losing it. Plain and simple.

He had to jog to catch up with Jack.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thanks again to my unofficial beta for your advice and patience! And thank you to everyone still reading and reviewing! I know this one is kind of dragging out, so I really appreciate those of you who are sticking with it! Hopefully it will be done soon!

* * *

_You never told me your parents had died,_ the note read. _I'm so sorry. My mother died when I was very young. Probably a blessing, considering the things I've seen. But knowing what you've accomplished with your life... I'm sure both your parents would be very proud. I know the rest of us are. – V._

Daniel once again found himself reading her tiny cursive over and over. It was the most she'd ever revealed, all neatly scrawled on one small scrap of paper. And it meant a lot more to him than he'd ever thought possible.

He had to go back to her.

Checking his watch, he frowned. Ten o'clock. Everyone would still be up.

Resigning himself to the wait, he flopped into his sleeping bag, setting his watch to wake him in three hours. Then he drifted restlessly to sleep, still thinking of Vala and what she'd written.

* * *

"Gosh, I'm tired," Vala yawned, rising from her seat at the game board. "I think I'll turn in for the night."

"It's only 9:30," Jack said with a frown. "And we're right in the middle of a game!"

"Are you feeling all right?," Sam asked, carefully hiding the knowing twinkle in her eye. Only Jack noticed before it was gone.

"Just tired," Vala replied, forcing another exaggerated yawn.

"Can we at least finish the round?," Jack complained.

"I don't know. I'm feeling pretty tired myself," Sam said, stretching. Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm off to bed," Vala called, ambling off in the direction of her bedroom. " 'Night, all!"

" 'Night, Vala," Sam replied, returning her attention to the boys.

Jack was staring incredulously at Vala's retreating form. "What was that?," he asked, pointing at the now closed bedroom door.

Sam shrugged. "It's been a long week. We're all pretty tired."

"I'm not tired," Jack countered obstinately.

"Oh, come on. You're losing anyway. You might as well turn in," Sam retorted.

"And admit defeat?," Jack scoffed. "Never! Besides, it's only_ nine-thirty_ at night. We could still play for _hours_."

"Do not the elderly of your world retire to bed early?," Teal'c inquired. Jack glared at him.

"Who're you calling elderly?," he snapped.

"You frequently refer to yourself as being of an advanced age," Teal'c pointed out.

"Compared to the rest of the kids currently making up SG-1," Jack retorted. Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "Present company excluded, of course," he amended quickly.

"I don't think I like being lumped into either one of those categories," Sam warned.

"You know what I mean!," Jack defended. "Besides, you _are_ young." Now it was Sam's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Look," Jack said. "Why don't we finish this game, and see where we go from there?"

"We are now missing an opponent," Teal'c pointed out. "How are we to continue without Vala Mal Doran?"

"Sam can play for her, too," Jack replied.

"I can, can I?," Sam asked. "And what's in it for me?"

Jack eyed the table. "About a pound of skittles and a bag of M&Ms," he quipped easily.

"Uh-huh," Sam said, leaning across the table. "And which one of us is _really_ going to be eating all of that?"

Jack looked a little sheepish. "I'll give you Park Place," he offered.

"Not good enough," Sam replied. "Besides, what's the harm in turning in early?"

"I'll wake up that much earlier," Jack grumbled. "It's bad enough I've been getting up with the sun all week. If I go to bed now, I'll be awake half the night too."

"Are you sure about that?," Sam asked innocently.

Teal'c smirked.

"Am I missing something, here?," Jack demanded, genuinely confused.

"A great deal, O'Neill," Teal'c replied evenly.

"Care to _enlighten_ me?," Jack retorted.

"No," Teal'c replied.

Sam giggled.

"What?," Jack demanded, rounding on her. "What's going on here?"

"If I'm right, Vala is expecting company again tonight," Sam replied, still chuckling.

"Oh, fer cryin' out loud!," Jack exclaimed. "_That's_ what this is all about?!"

"Indeed," Teal'c replied, his eyes dancing with humour.

"Well," Jack huffed, "_Romeo_ wouldn't dare show his face this early in the evening, so what's the rush?"

Sam snorted. "Maybe he's outside watching, waiting for Vala's signal," she suggested.

"Or perhaps she wishes us to sleep now, so that she may rendez-vous with him sooner in the woods," Teal'c added.

"Not you too," Jack complained, looking to Teal'c. "T, this is _insane_! I'm sure you both have better things to do than spy on _Daniel_?"

"It wasn't_ spying_," Sam defended.

"Indeed. I was able only to hear their conversation last night," Teal'c noted.

Jack gaped at them both. "Don't make me get cable," he deadpanned. "Look, you want some entertainment, let's put on a movie. Or, finish our game," he suggested.

"Jack," Sam said, resting a hand on his arm. "Just come to bed. You'll make a lot of people very happy."

"Sam. I'm telling you. Daniel is_ not_ going to come any earlier for your trouble. He knows I'd nail him for it."

"Maybe," she said with a tiny shrug. "But I could make it worth your while."

"In a cabin full of people?," he scoffed.

"O'Neill," Teal'c interrupted. "Only a very foolish man would refuse such an offer."

"But..."

"No buts," Sam said, beginning to tidy the game.

"But...," Jack repeated, at a loss as his wife and best friend put everything away.

"Ah! What did I say?," Sam demanded accusingly, mimicking his trademark tone.

"But...," Jack mouthed, unable to find purchase in this particular debate.

"You will be fine, O'Neill," Teal'c reassured, resting a large hand on his shoulder. "Colonel Carter is a capable strategist."

There was nothing really he could say to that. If anyone could work miracles, it was his wife. But still...

"Right," he muttered resignedly. "Well, I guess I have my orders."

"Indeed," Teal'c replied, and if Jack hadn't know any better, he'd almost swear that the Jaffa's eyes twinkled as he spoke.

* * *

Daniel approached the cabin same as before, only this time, Vala was waiting for him. Sliding the window open as he drew near, he could make out the pale outline of her face in the light of the moon, watching him with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

This was as new for her as it was for him.

"Daniel," she greeted with a small smile.

"Vala," he replied, grinning in return.

They stared at each other, the silence filling the space between them with an awkward sort of awareness that neither one of them really had any idea where to begin. Daniel wedged his hands in his jacket pocket, trying to stay warm, while Vala pulled a blanket around her shoulders.

"Thank you," Daniel said at last.

"For what?," Vala asked.

"The note. Saying what you said. About my parents, and about being proud." He shrugged awkwardly.

"What were they like? Your parents?," Vala asked, her hushed words sounding loud in the stillness around them.

Daniel grinned fondly at the memory. "Archaeologists. Both of them," he replied. "Very involved with their work," he added, silently forgiving them for all the things they'd missed. He was no different, after all. "We travelled a lot when I was a kid. They taught me a lot."

"Were you happy?," she asked.

"Yes," he replied, nodding. "Very happy."

They lapsed into silence once more. "What about you?," Daniel finally asked. "What was your mother like?"

"Beautiful," Vala breathed. "And she always made everything seem so good. Even when Jacek was gone for months on end without a word, or when he'd come back just to hide...she made it all right."

"She sounds incredible."

"She was," Vala said, smiling sadly. "I was eleven when she died. I didn't think I could live without her to make everything better."

"You must have a lot of her in you," Daniel replied, instinctively reaching for a hand he couldn't hold. He left his fingers at the bottom of the screen, searching her eyes. "You've survived more than anyone else I've ever known. And you still manage to smile every day."

Vala's eyes welled and her lower lip quivered, but she smiled in spite of herself. "Thank you," she whispered, brushing at the tears threatening to spill over.

"I was eight, when my parents died," Daniel confessed a few moments later.

"Eight?," Vala asked, shocked. "Daniel..."

"It's all right," he reassured quickly. "It was hard, but I had a decent foster family. And I was in school all the time anyway."

Vala's brow furrowed in thought. "Was Jack a part of your foster family?," she asked curiously.

"No," Daniel answered, surprised. "I haven't really kept in touch with any of them. Why?"

"He cares for you," Vala noted. Daniel smiled.

"I think Jack feels responsible for me," he explained. "I was a bit...helpless, in the beginning. He looked out for me."

Vala's eyes twinkled. "I have a hard time imagining you helpless," she confessed.

Daniel snorted. "You'd be surprised. If it wasn't for Jack, Sam and Teal'c...well, I'd probably be dead a hundred times over, by now."

"As opposed to twice?," she teased. Daniel shot her a look. "Is that why you're all so close?," she asked, covering the jab.

"Partly," he said, ignoring her earlier barb. "A lot of it has to do with the things we've learned about each other over the years. Mostly without meaning to."

"Like now?," she asked softly.

"Yeah," he said, a warm grin spreading across his face. "Like now."

They lapsed into silence once again.

"I should probably go," he whispered after a while.

"Yeah," she agreed, nodding.

"Vala?"

"Hmm?"

"Your mother would be proud too."

With that, Daniel retreated to the safety of the shadows, feeling her eyes on his back the entire way out to the main road.

* * *

It felt like sticking your hand too close to a bug zapper, but it seemed to work. At least, nobody came crashing through the door demanding they stop, so Jack assumed it worked. And Sam assured him the feeling would come back to his arm, eventually.

He glanced down. The astrophysicist in question lay nestled in his arms, smiling contentedly even as she slept. He grinned. She was beautiful any day, but always more so when she was happy.

And right now, she was very, very happy.

Jack snuggled even closer, breathing her in. And he was just about asleep himself when a high-pitched beeping woke him back up. Sam jolted awake beside him, grabbing her watch off the bedside table. Then, reaching over to shut the device off, she snuggled back down into his arms.

"Sam?,"

"Yeah?"

"What was that?"

"My watch," she answered evasively.

"Telling you it's time to..."

"Spy on Daniel," she murmured smugly, kissing his cheek.

"I feel so _used_," Jack complained.

"You'll get over it."

* * *

Daniel went to bed feeling lighter than he'd felt in a long time. For some reason, talking with Vala helped. He couldn't say why, but he could feel the difference. Getting to know her...it was like getting to know himself all over again. He was starting to feel almost connected again, like he was part of something bigger instead of an isolated piece fighting to stay alive. It was a very good feeling.

He'd have to see her again.

* * *

Vala couldn't sleep. She was too happy to sleep. Whatever they were doing to her Daniel...it was working. He was opening up. To her. She smiled dreamily at her pillow. Maybe Teal'c was right. Maybe there really was something there, after all.

She couldn't wait to see him again.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Last two chapters! Thank you so much to everyone who has read and/or reviewed this story! I'm sorry I've fallen behind responding to reviews, but I really, really do appreciate all the kind words and encouragement, and I hope you like the end!

Happy reading!

* * *

Teal'c sat out on the dock, watching the sun rise over the tree-rimmed pond, listening as the birds came awake for the day. He had never really taken the time to appreciate the outdoors until the familiar sights and sounds had been stripped away. Fifty years was a long time to go without breathing crisp clean air, without seeing the wonder of the natural world or hearing its daily songs. He would never again take such simple pleasures for granted.

The dock creaked behind him, and he turned.

"Colonel Carter," he greeted in surprise.

"Hey, Teal'c," she smiled, joining him in the empty seat overlooking the water. "It's beautiful, isn't it?," she breathed, taking it all in.

"Indeed," he replied, smiling.

They sat in companionable silence as the sun bathed the tree tops in its early morning glow, blinding sparkles skittering across the pond's otherwise dark surface as the light bounced and reflected over the gently rippling water.

"It would appear Daniel Jackson is himself once more," Teal'c noted, a sense of deep satisfaction humming within. Sam smiled fondly at the observation.

"He does seem to be opening up again," she replied, grinning. "This was a good plan, Teal'c."

Teal'c nodded his acceptance of her praise. They fell silent a moment more before Teal'c quietly asked, "And what of yourself, Colonel Carter?"

"Me?," she asked, surprised.

"Are you content with the decisions you have made?"

"More than content, when I'm here," she confessed softly.

"That is good to hear," Teal'c replied, a sad sort of smile drifting briefly across his face.

"I really wasn't happy, onboard the Odyssey, was I?," she asked.

"There were moments when you were as you have always been," he replied cautiously. Then he smiled. "Your work with the noise cancellation device, for instance," he recalled, his gaze a million miles away. "But you mourned deeply for O'Neill, and closed yourself from even your closest friends, much as Daniel Jackson has done."

"I'm sorry," she said, clearly meaning it.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Colonel Carter. I only wish to ensure that you are happy now."

"I am," she replied, nodding adamantly. "And I should probably thank you for that," she added. Teal'c raised a questioning eyebrow. "You saved us all," she explained. "My solution never could have worked without your sacrifice. You gave us all this second chance."

Teal'c bowed slightly, deeply touched. "It has been my honour to have you as a friend for so much of my life, Colonel Carter. I would sacrifice the years again, given the opportunity," he replied.

"I know," she said, gently placing a hand on his arm. "Thank you."

* * *

The sun was already high in the sky when Daniel woke. Confused, he glanced around, seeing only the familiar interior of Jack's tent. Where was his wake-up party?

Rising, Daniel dressed quickly, stepping into the brisk morning air to take a look around. The immediate vicinity was deserted, so he resolutely trekked along Jack's trail to the spot where they had worked the day before. Still no sign of Jack or Teal'c. Daniel stood there, puzzled.

Not that he objected to the solitude, but he hadn't been left alone like this in days. He wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do now.

Returning to camp, he found the snack stash Jack had left and dug in, partaking in a breakfast of Doritos and mixed nuts before heading back out. It was a beautiful day; no sense sitting around, wasting it.

Daniel went for a jog.

The trail was stunning this time of year, the rich browns, oranges, yellows, reds and greens creating an autumnal paradise in the thick of the woods. He took it all in, reveling in the simple freedom of being outdoors without a mission to perform, an enemy to defeat. It felt as if he were alive, for the first time in years. Even his allergies seemed to approve, keeping their distance as he tread the moist earth and damp leaves, stirring all the earthy mildews that would usually send them wild.

He really should thank the Air Force one of these days, he thought idly to himself. If it wasn't for them, he'd still be a pasty, sneezing super-geek, ostracized from the rest of the academic community for his rather unorthodox views. Not that the latter had changed at all, but at least he knew the truth, and it was recognized by some fairly powerful individuals.

He also wondered what Vala would think, if she could meet the Daniel Jackson of ten years before? He snorted at the thought. She'd no doubt be appalled. It was sometimes difficult even within his own mind to reconcile his past self with his present. She'd treat him with the same indifference with which she dealt with Walter, or Dr. Lee.

So why did she keep coming back to him? Had he really changed so much, at his core?

And why, all of a sudden, did he find himself equally drawn to her?

He'd always been impervious to her charms. Half the men on base would fall over themselves to do anything she asked, but he'd always been able to see through the facade. She didn't actually want to be adored by all. It was simply all she'd ever known. Her years as host to Qetesh had changed her, altered her perception of herself and the awareness of the affect she could have on those around her.

And maybe_ that_ was why she seemed to like him best. He didn't buy it. He really didn't think she was the type to sleep her way into favour, contrary to all outward appearances. That was Qetesh, her voice still filtering through, even after all this time. But Vala...Vala was different. She was afraid of rejection. She could walk the walk and talk the talk, but at the end of the day, she wasn't any different from himself. They were both hiding from what they'd once been.

For her, that meant wearing a familiar mask, Qetesh's mask, to hide her own fears. For him...for him it meant renouncing his heart, so it could never be broken again.

Stumbling, Daniel bent hands to knees, suddenly out of breath. He really had shut everyone out. Only it had begun a lot earlier than his friends suspected.

He'd lost all hope of having a family to call his own when Sha're had died, and Shifu had been taken by Oma. They had been the last pieces of his already fractured heart, gone.

He'd never been tempted. Never felt the desire to try again. Sha're had been his second chance. He'd lost his own family as a child, and she'd offered him hers. And then he'd lost them too. All of them.

A sob escaped his chest, then another.

How many men had a second chance, let alone a third? Vala would accept him, he knew. He was the only one for whom the facade ever came down. But what right did he have to do that to her?

His record spoke for itself. Anyone he loved would die.

Daniel collapsed on the trail, suddenly too weak to stand as his grief overtook him. He could never go through that again.

* * *

Jack O'Neill rarely slept in. Today was one of those occasions. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he had to do a double-take at the clock on the bedside table. Nine-forty-two in the morning? The last time he'd slept _that_ late, an Asgard had been experimenting on him.

Dressing quickly, Jack made his way through the cabin, searching for the others. Only Vala remained inside, sitting at the dinning room table, eating a bowl of Lucky Charms.

"Where's everyone else?," he asked, grabbing a bowl for himself.

"Outside," she replied vaguely.

"Has anyone checked on Daniel yet?," he asked, pouring cereal noisily into the bowl.

"I don't think so," Vala replied. "But I could go, if you'd like."

Jack smirked. "Would that be wise, considering your history?," he asked smugly. Vala blinked slowly, furrowing her brow in puzzlement.

"What history?," she asked at last.

Jack stared at her. Man, did she have it bad. "Never mind," he murmured, taking a bite of his food. "I'll go myself, in a bit."

"I really wouldn't mind," she replied, just a little too quickly. Jack grinned, in spite of himself.

"No need," he said. "You stay here, relax. Enjoy your vacation. It'll be over before you know it."

She frowned. "Is there some reason you don't want me seeing Daniel right now?"

"I just want to make sure he isn't going to be throwing another one of his tantrums anytime soon," Jack reassured. "It's embarrassing."

"You know, one of these days, you really should tell him."

"Tell him what?," Jack asked, suspecting the tables had been turned.

Vala shot him a pointed look. "That he's not alone."

Jack shook his head. "He already knows we've got his back," he replied, trying to shrug it off.

"Does he?," Vala asked, rising from the table to rinse her bowl. A moment later, she was gone, and Jack was left to puzzle out her meaning for himself.

* * *

The sobbing had stopped, but he still could not seem to bring himself to move. So he lay there, the rough surface of the trail digging into his flesh, cold seeping through his very bones.

He could hear footsteps approaching, but he didn't care. Let them find him like this. What did it matter anymore? He was no different from the Daniel Jackson who died alone on the Odyssey. He didn't deserve another chance.

"Dammit, Daniel, what happened?," Jack demanded, crouching beside him to look him over.

"I love her," he confessed, hollowly.

"That doesn't really explain why you're lying in the middle of my trail," Jack countered, his sharp eyes piercing him for more information.

"Everyone I love ends up dead," he replied.

"That's a load of bull, and you know it," Jack snapped, sitting back on his heels. "All of us are still alive."

"That's different. You're my friends."

"Daniel, even a best friend wouldn't put up with the crap we take from each other," Jack replied. "We're family, for better or worse."

Daniel shook his head. "You're just saying that."

"Daniel," Jack countered, frowning. "I'm not as eloquent as you. If I say something, I usually mean it."

"You barely tolerated me the whole time we were working together."

Jack looked like he'd been struck. "Is that really what you think?," he asked at last.

"I was a hindrance. You felt responsible for me."

"You were a member of my _team_," Jack stressed. "And if I felt more for Sam than I really should have, then the same could be said for either you or Teal'c."

"What?," Daniel asked, genuinely startled.

"You know what I mean," Jack snapped. "I'd never let anything happen to any of you, not if I could help it," he replied. "That goes beyond responsibility. My personal feelings influenced every decision I ever made as your commanding officer. We either all lived together, or we all died together, but no one was _ever_ left behind."

"Isn't that just standard military..."

"No," Jack interrupted. "Not like that. Not to those extremes. People get left behind. People get killed. It's not supposed to be an all-or-nothing deal."

Daniel was shaking his head.

"Do you know where we are right now?," Jack demanded, before the other man could argue.

"On the far side of the pond," Daniel replied.

"On _your_ section of trail," Jack clarified. "When you died...it was Charlie all over again. The anger. The guilt. I didn't _live_ outside of work that entire year. And when Hammond forced us to take some downtime...I came here to grieve. There's over a mile here, just for you."

Daniel had no idea what to say. He was telling the truth. And he'd never seen Jack so...open. Ever.

"I know you've lost a lot," Jack said, more quietly now. "And I know we haven't always seen eye to eye. But I will always be there for you, because that's what family is for."

"Jack..."

"Get up, Daniel," Jack sighed. "You need to clean up." Jack offered his hand, helping Daniel to his feet.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," Daniel said, swallowing the lump in his throat. Jack nodded once, briefly, walling himself off once more.

Only now, Daniel understood the truth. Vala had been right. Without ever saying a word, Jack O'Neill had offered him the family he'd never really had. And he'd unwaveringly, unconditionally kept that silent promise to keep them all together for the past eleven years.

It was the longest Daniel had ever been part of something. And suddenly, the bonds they'd formed in friendship over so many years came to mean that much more. This really was his home.

And maybe, just maybe, it was time to share that home with someone else.

* * *

Daniel opted to return to his tent for the night, even after having been allowed to share dinner with his friends, his _family_, up at the cabin. There was something he still needed to do, and he didn't think he could manage under the watchful eyes of the others.

He arrived at Vala's darkened window promptly at one in the morning. Once again, she was waiting for him.

"It was good seeing you at dinner tonight," she greeted. He smiled warmly in reply.

"It was good to be invited," he said. They gazed shyly at each other for a moment, Daniel gathering the courage to say what needed to be said. "Vala," he began at last, reaching up to brush the fingers resting on her side of the screen. "I owe you an apology."

"Just one?," she quipped.

"It's a big one," he offered, glancing uncertainly at his feet.

"Well, then. I'm all ears."

"When we first met...you weren't at all what I expected."

"Understandable, considering you believed I was a Kull warrior."

Daniel smiled ruefully at the memory. "There is that," he conceded. "But there was more, too. I didn't notice it at first. But after we were trapped in the Ori galaxy... I found myself...caring for you. In spite of all outward appearances."

"Daniel..."

"Let me finish," he said, holding up a hand. "I've had the chance to do a lot of thinking this week. Today in particular. And I think, when I saw you burn... I always thought my heart had been buried with my wife, but the more I think of it, the more I realize that the last piece of it was given to you, and it shattered with your last word." Vala gasped, but otherwise held silent. "If I've held you at arm's length...it's because I couldn't bear to get close enough to be hurt again," Daniel continued. "And I'm sorry, Vala. So, so sorry. Because the truth is, I love you. I have for a long time."

A tear slid silently down her cheek, and she brushed it roughly away. "You won't lose me," she reassured.

"You can't know that," he said gently. It was still his greatest fear.

"Daniel. I've been enslaved by the Goa'uld, burned alive, and forced to bear the child of the Ori. If the two greatest evils our galaxy has ever seen haven't managed to finish me off, then I doubt your love will either."

Daniel gaped at her. "I never really thought of it that way," he replied nervously.

"Well, think about it now, because I've been doing some thinking of my own. You're the one I want," she said, meeting his gaze. "Anyone else would just be settling. I deserve more than that. And so do you."

"Vala..."

"Daniel. I love you. And I will wait as long as it takes for you to realize that that _is_ enough. I'm not going anywhere."

"Vala..."

"No. This time, I get the last say."

"Take out the screen."

"What?," she asked, startled.

"Take out the screen," he replied, grinning.

Confused, she did as told. No sooner was the barrier gone than his lips were on hers, warm, tender, loving, his large, warm hand tangling in her thick black hair.

"Daniel," she murmured, some time later. "It's getting a little drafty in here. Why don't we close this window, and continue this someplace warmer."

"What did you have in mind?," he asked, puzzled. Vala glanced toward the bed, stacked with what appeared to be every spare blanket Jack owned. His brows shot up in surprise.

"Won't the others notice..."

"Don't be silly," Vala scolded. "Sam took care of that little problem days ago."

Daniel was truly perplexed, but since she was already helping him in, he didn't really feel he had much say in the matter. Then she flipped the switch on an odd looking device, and every hair on his body stood on end for a moment, before settling back down.

"It's a noise cancellation device," she replied, grinning.

"Really?," he asked, grinning widely in return. He took a step toward her, sweeping her into his arms. She shrieked and laughed before he caught her lips, and no one came running to see what was going on.

"I could get used to this," he breathed, kissing along her jaw and neck as she wound her arms more tightly about him. He sank backwards onto the bed, still kissing, when...

"Daniel," she said, her tone warning against distraction. He stopped kissing and met her gaze. "Promise you're not just messing with me," she breathed, silently pleading for this to be real.

Daniel swallowed hard. "I don't think I could leave you now if I tried," he answered truthfully.

"That's good," she breathed, kissing him softly on the lips, tasting him, tormenting. "Because I don't think I could wait now, if I tried," she confessed. He chuckled softly, wrapping them both in one of the heavy quilts before continuing his ministrations.

It was a long, long, _long_ time before they were through with their professions of love.

* * *

"So, I guess you two were right," Jack admitted over breakfast the next morning. Sam's eyes sparkled brightly, and Teal'c actually _smirked_.

"Indeed," said the latter, clearly enjoying their victory.

"They sounded so _happy_," Sam sighed.

"Considering how long that noise thing has been running, they might _still_ be sounding happy," Jack grumbled.

"Jealous?," Sam teased.

"They are known for their stamina," Teal'c noted dryly. "It was for that reason the noise cancellation device was first invented." Sam chuckled at that.

"I guess some things never change," she replied, laughter still in her voice.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed, smiling.

"Yes. Well. You may need to build another one of those things," Jack noted sourly. "I somehow doubt Danny's going to be in a_ sharing_ mood after this."

Sam and Teal'c both burst into laughter, leaving one very affronted Jack O'Neill standing agape in the kitchen.


	18. Chapter 18

It was early Monday morning when Daniel strolled into Cam's office, two cups of coffee in hand.

"Jackson," Cam greeted, startled by the appearance. The man hardly ever left his own office long enough to hit the head, let alone visit anyone else. Something must be up.

"I came to apologize," Daniel said, handing Cam his peace offering of caffeine.

"Apologize? What for?," Cam asked, accepting the token with obvious confusion.

"You were right," Daniel conceded.

"Oka-y..." Cam drawled.

"I needed to get out. Meet someone. Live a little."

Cam sat back, startled speechless by the admission. Finally, he said, "I take it you've met someone?"

"I have," Daniel said, smiling shyly.

"Well, that's great!," Cam enthused, getting to his feet to clap the other man on the back. "I'm happy for you, man."

"Thank you," Daniel replied, sincerely. "There's just one problem."

"Oh?," Cam asked, growing suddenly suspicious.

"She's a member of the team."

Cam let the words sink in. "Our team?," he asked after a moment. Daniel nodded. Cam ran his hands over his face. There was going to be paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork. Not to mention what it would do to SG-1...

"Tell me it's not Sam," Cam groaned, his eyes squeezed shut against the inevitable bombshell. Two workaholic members of the lonely hearts' club hooking up on a week long vacation together...God, he was such a moron. He should have tagged along just to keep them in line.

"It's not Sam," Daniel reassured, blue eyes sparkling.

Cam's eyes shot open. That could only leave...

"You didn't," he said, his voice saturated with disbelief, laced with a subtle hint of accusation. "Tell me you didn't," he stressed.

"Didn't what?," Daniel asked innocently, clearly enjoying the other man's discomfort.

"Tell me you didn't finally cave to Vala's insane attempts to seduce you," he begged.

"I didn't."

Cam blinked. This was so not adding up. "But then, who...?"

"Vala," Daniel confirmed, trying not to laugh.

"But..."

"It's all right, Cam. Turns out, we've already been married for fifty years."

Cam gaped at him. "Fifty... Jackson, that's longer than you've been _alive_."

"Which time?," Daniel asked sweetly.

"Am I missing... Teal'c spilled the beans," he stated, realization dawning.

"Only after we figured things out on our own," Daniel confessed "He thought the information might be helpful in keeping SG-1 together."

Cam groaned. God, the paperwork on this would be a nightmare!

"And Cam?," Daniel said, turning to leave.

"Yeah?," Cam asked, so not wanting to hear any more.

"Thank you."

Daniel stepped out of the room with a grin, while Cam shut his eyes, groaning once more.

_Hell of a way to get back to work_, he thought to himself, quickly barricading himself inside his office. You could never really be too cautious in this line of work, and he was _so_ not prepared to deal with the possibility of Sam and Teal'c tossing him a double whammy.

He'd wait a few days before asking them how their vacation had been.

* * *

The End!


End file.
